- An international action programme of post-harvest food loss prevention in perishables of plant origin should be initiated. A proper balance should be maintained between postharvest scientists and economists, engineers and food technologists in project formulation and implementation.
- All projects designed to increase food production or improve food marketing should give consideration to the post-harvest implications of the project including both project development and project monitoring phases,.
- All post-harvest food loss reduction activities should consider the environmental impact of that activity. Environmental and health issues should be part of the documentation of project proposals and the planning process.
- Each country should attempt to identify the principal problem areas affecting losses in perishables of plant origin occurring in its own postharvest system with a view to establishing appropriate priority areas for action. Since the value of the product may be doubled in the post-harvest period, these value changes need to be assessed for specific crops. The scale of priorities should be compiled on the basis of the magnitude of the losses, their economic and nutritional importance and the feasibility of applying effective remedial action that is operationally and economically reasonable. A systems approach should be used in this process taking into account biological, physical, economic and social factors with reference to the various economic groups including the rural poor. There should be full participation of the expected beneficiaries in the planning of food loss reduction activities. Traditional technologies should not be ignored.
- The use of proper temperature management procedures should be promoted This includes simple cooling systems such as shading from direct sunlight and use of evaporative cooling. Where appropriate, more cool stores and better utilization of existing cool stores should be promoted. The International Institute of Refrigeration should co-operate with national and international organizations to organize training in refrigeration management, design, operation and maintenance suitable for conditions experienced in developing countries.
- The search for low cost cooling systems should be intensified. This should include the application of solar energy and other renewable sources of energy to power cooling systems. Practical research programmes should be drawn up by national and international agencies and institutes to adapt refrigeration techniques to the needs of developing countries.
- There should be development and promotion of gentle handling of horticultural produce at all steps in the harvesting and marketing system when it is technically feasible and economically viable. This includes the development and use of improved market and field containers that are used to harvest, transport and store horticultural produce. All training manuals should emphasize that mechanical damage is the major factor in providing pathways for infection of produce by microorganisms. The avoidance of mechanical injury should be an essential criterion in the design of harvesting and handling machinery. The importance of efficient marketing systems as a factor in the prevention of post-harvest losses particularly the less durable fruits and vegetables has also to be recognized' and such systems adapted to suit the requirements of efficient perishables' marketing.
- There should be active encouragement of rigid sanitation and public health procedures of all produce handling and operation areas, sanitary operation of equipment, containers and stores, and sorting out and proper disposal of diseased and damaged units from the produce.
- The relevant International Agricultural Research centres of the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research in collaboration with national and other international institutes should be encouraged to initiate or expand a co-ordinated programme of research to resolve outstanding problems related to post-harvest factors and storage behaviour of horticultural crops, e.g., root crops. Plant breeders in these institutions should consider long inherent storage life as an important criterion of selection in the breeding of fruits, vegetables, roots and tubers.
- Research to develop small scale drying technology or other suitable appropriate technologies for transforming horticultural crops should be promoted. The use of these technologies should be promoted where their benefits have been clearly demonstrated.
- Every country should be cautioned against the use of hazardous protective agricultural chemicals until the following actions have been accomplished:
- analytical laboratories and inspection services have been established to monitor the proper use of pre- and post-harvest agricultural chemicals;
- guidelines have been developed and are being applied to educate farmers and food handlers in the proper and safe use of hazardous compounds and safe disposal of empty containers;
Information should be available in each country as to which national and regional laboratories have the facilities to identify decay organisms.
- A variety of types of training programmes in prevention of losses in horticultural crops should be initiated. These should be designed to suit the differing needs of the people in different parts of the harvesting and marketing chain. While most training should be provided within their own country exchanges with other countries may be beneficial in some cases. The transfer of existing good storage technology from national and international institutes to potential users should-receive priority in the programmes of these institutions.
- The following publications should be prepared:
- technical loss prevention manuals for commodities or groups of commodities;
- a world-wide directory of institutions and training programmes involved with prevention of losses in perishable crops;
- guidelines for loss assessment.
- An international information network on food losses in horticultural crops should be established making as much use as possible of existing national and international programmes to facilitate technical go-operation between similarly oriented institutions. The information to be collated in a World Directory (13 b) should form the basis for establishing International and Regional co-operation in improvement of training at all levels.