What happens between harvest and market

The challenge

Harvesting is one step in getting food to a buyer. Storage, transport, processing and wholesale handling provide distinct places to investigate loss, delays and the information available to producers.

What the number does—and does not—say

FAO estimates losses after harvest and before retail. This is different from retail and consumer food waste; the two indicators have different scopes and should not simply be added.

A question worth investigating

At which stage does a specific crop lose quantity or quality, and what evidence identifies the cause?

Labs research direction: start with a defined population and location, review the source methodology, and validate assumptions with people working in the sector. This question is our interpretation; the statistic alone does not establish causes or prove a particular solution.