Reducing On-Farm Food Losses
In the OIC Member Countries
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3. CASE STUDIES
As described in the methodology for the analytical study, the consultants made a series of field
visits for collecting more detailed data for the case studies. Each case study focused on one
country and one or two agricultural commodities. The consultants used interviews,
observations and detailed face-to-face surveys with national researchers, extension officers as
well as private sector representatives. The commodities analyzed in these case studies were
chosen from the key agricultural products for each country that were in season during the field
visits.
Value chain assessments were conducted by field teams using a modified Commodity Systems
Assessment Methodology (CSAM), focusing mainly on the pre-production and production
period, up until the harvest and farm gate. The case studies cover the period of time during
production, including any pre-harvest factors that may lead directly to losses, harvesting,
handling on the farm until farm gate, which includes transport away from the farm and/or the
selling to a buyer who takes responsibility for the crop.
CSAM is a systematic process of using surveys, interviews, and observations to collect data on
the key aspects of the value chain, including postharvest handling and marketing (La Gra 1990;
Kitinoja and Kasmire 2002). A standardized data collection worksheet was used by each of the
field teams to measure losses and quality of the crops on-farm.
For all site visits in each case study, quality sorting was performed by the consultant via a
random selection of 20 samples. Percentages were based on a quality sort (# out of count of 20)
with ratings from 5 for extreme defects, decay or damage; 3 for moderate defects, decay or
damage; and 1 for none.
The results from these rapid assessments, focusing mainly on the production and harvesting
components provide input for promoting technology awareness, adoption and utilization, as
well as help to answer key research questions to inform the OIC Member Country policy and
programming.