Reducing On-Farm Food Losses
In the OIC Member Countries
5
The ensuing report is divided into six sections. Section 1 outlines the conceptual framework for
assessing on-farm food losses, including definitions and examples for each food group, the
methodology of the study, an overview of global food losses, the levels and types of losses for six
food groups, and the relative importance of on-farm food losses.
Section 2 provides estimates of food losses and waste for OIC Member Countries, including
information on the relative importance of on-farm losses, and the detailed findings regarding
on-farm losses in the OIC Member Countries, based on literature reviews and key informant
surveys.
Section 3 details eight case studies of on-farm losses for specific foods in the OIC Member
Countries, beginning with the status and importance of the commodity group for the chosen
member country. Status and importance is followed by production volumes of the commodity
group as well as its contribution to the economy; an assessment of on-farm food losses in this
commodity group; the calculation of economic burden to the country; and the causes of on-farm
food losses for the selected agricultural commodity. Each case study provides a description of
the measures and strategies implemented for on-farm food loss reduction in the country and the
lessons learned.
Section 4 elaborates on the causes and consequences of on-farm food losses and evaluates the
implications of on-farm losses on production, use, food security, and the environment.
Section 5 presents the available information on the resources that are presently mobilized to
reduce on-farm losses in the OIC Member Countries, and provides recommendations for the
additional resources that are needed in terms of technology, farmers’ training, institutional
support, communication, and knowledge to significantly impact food losses. The section
includes a description of the programs, projects and studies that have been implemented to
reduce food losses in OICMember Countries and the common characteristics and results of these
efforts.
Section 6 provides policy recommendations and proposes collaborative solutions for the OIC
Member Countries for reducing on-farm food losses. Recommendations are intended to be
practical, applicable to the identified problems, concrete, open to collaborative efforts, and
capable of being implemented on a small, medium or large scale to match currently available
resources and scope within the countries.