Study of postharvest food losses

TO UNDERTAKE THE PROJECT,NAS ASSEMBLES A STEERING COMMITTEE OF 7 POST-HARVEST FOOD LOSS EXPERTS.THIS COMMITTEE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR:THE CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK OF PROJ:ORGANIZATION OF AN INTERNATL WORKING MEETING ATTENDED BY 30 FOOD CULTIVATION PRODUCTION,PROTECTION & MARKETING SPECIALISTS; AND THE PRESENTATION OF A FINAL REPORT. THE FINAL REPORT,WHICH IS THE END RESULT OF THE PROJ,IS TO INCLUDE: 1.A REVIEW OF THE PUBLISHED & UNPUBLISHED INFORMATION GATHERED MAINLY FROM EXISTING SURVEYS-A CONSULTANT ANALYZES & ANNOTATES THIS INFORMATION FOR THE COMMITTEE WHICH THEREUPON COMMENTS UPON ITS VALUE AND THE CONCLUSIONS TO BE DRAWN FROM IT;2.METHODOLOGIES FOR ESTIMATING FOOD CROP LOSSES IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS FROM DIFFERENT CAUSES (INSECTS,DISEASE,PESTS,PRODUCTION PROBLEMS,ETC),AND THE MEANS FOR REDUCING FOOD LOSSES;3.RECOMMENDATIONS FOR RESEARCH TO BE UNDERTAKEN IN TEST LOCATIONS TO GAIN INFORMATION ON THE EXTENT OF CROP LOSSES & ON LOSS REDUCTION.THE INTERNATL WORKING MEETING PROVIDES THE MAIN INFORMATIONAL INPUT TO THE REPORT: THE SPECIALISTS REPRESENT VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS WHICH HAVE CONDUCTED VARIOUS RESEARCH,AND HALF ARE FROM THE US,HALF FROM THE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.PARTICIPANTS SUB-DIVIDE INTO WORKING GROUPS WHICH DISCUSS THE DIFFERENT AREAS OF TECHNOLOGY AND PRESENT DATA OF CONSEQUENCE TO THE REPORT.A FURTHER INFORMATION SOURCE IS PROVIDED THROUGH CLOSE COORDINATION OF THE COMMITTEE WITH GASGA,LIFE/AACC & OTHER INSTITUTIONS INVOLVED WITH POST-HARVEST LOSS ACTIVITIES. THE PRIMARY BENEFICIARIES ARE THE FARMERS,FOOD PRODUCERS,AND FOOD CONSUMERS OF DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.