Blog Integrating gender and intersectionality in post-harvest loss research helps reduce negative economic and social impacts
- Currently post-harvest losses in food systems average about 25 percent globally, reducing food availability and increasing food insecurity.
- Women’s participation in post-harvest processing is almost 50 percent, but their role is undervalued.
- Appropriate technologies can reduce losses. But if they are developed and introduced in a manner that is not gender-responsive, the technologies can widen gender gaps and other social inequalities.
- There is an urgent need to collect sex-disaggregated data on post-harvest losses to inform how we develop appropriate technology and other enabling innovations.
Women can reduce post-harvest losses, but are not responsible for all post-harvest processes
Post-harvest food losses put food systems at risk, especially in low- and middle-income countries. They limit the availability of food and nutritional diets, while increasing food prices. They also add to the environmental burdens, contributing to climate change.
In recent years, several case studies have shown reducing post-harvest losses (PHLs) must be tackled from both technical and social perspectives. This double-pronged approach is also necessitated by the low levels of adoption of post-harvest technologies, especially by women.
