Africa: One Third of Food Is Lost or Wasted - How to Help Farmers Cut Post-Harvest Losses

What the report says

A Conversation Africa analysis published by AllAfrica on 14 October 2026 says post-harvest losses remain a major but often under-addressed food-security problem across the global south, including Africa. The piece argues that policy has tended to focus on increasing farm production, while overlooking the large share of crops and other foods that spoil or are wasted after harvest.

The authors, drawing on a review of 324 studies, say the evidence base is uneven and difficult to compare because researchers use different definitions, commodities and measurement methods. They report that losses can occur at every stage of the chain, from harvesting and transport to storage, processing and marketing, and that rates vary widely by food type. They also note that losses are shaped by multiple linked factors, including weak roads, poor storage, limited cold chains, inadequate packaging, climate stress and financial constraints.

The analysis outlines four priorities: better and more standardised measurement, stronger storage and transport infrastructure, wider use of affordable technologies adapted to local conditions, and improved finance and extension support for smallholders. It also stresses that women should be explicitly included in training, financing and technology design because of their role in post-harvest handling.

More broadly, the article says reducing losses should be treated as part of food security, climate resilience and rural development, not as a narrow technology project. It adds that effective investment would combine infrastructure, research, farmer support and market access rather than focusing only on equipment purchases.