11 March 2019, DJIBOUTI, Djibouti: The Director of Agriculture & Environment Division of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Mr. Mohamed Moussa, this morning opened a two-day inception workshop entitled “Post-Harvest Loss Reduction for Enhanced Food and Nutrition Security in IGAD Member States” in Djibouti in the presence of the Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to Djibouti, Dr Dadamaneo Pissang Tchangai.
Around 25 participants drawn from the Ministries of Agriculture of IGAD Member States are participating in this workshop meant at launching the aforementioned technical cooperation project and agree on activities and roles of stakeholders for successful implementation of the project.
The project will ultimately contribute to improving the capacity of IGAD and its Member States in developing and implementing solutions to food loss and waste at various levels: from policy to improved market linkages and technologies.
Mr. Mohamed Moussa recalled that agriculture development, natural resources management and improving food security was the priorities of IGAD knowing that food insecurity is still a challenge to the region which receives 40% of global aid.
Dr Tchangai noted that while the tendency had “traditionally been to emphasize increasing food production for increased food security”, there was “yet an additional, often-forgotten factor that exacerbates food insecurity: Post-Harvest Losses”. He said that this situation had “to be addressed and reversed”.
The project will build on past and on-going initiatives on post-harvest loss reduction to avoid duplication of efforts. Importantly, the project will utilize information generated through a continent wide initiative funded by Rockefeller Foundation and the food loss assessment methodology developed by FAO’s SAVE FOOD Initiative. This methodology adopts a value chain approach, includes both quantitative and qualitative aspects of food losses, and analyses institutional and regulatory frameworks and policies that contribute to food loss reduction.
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