The Reason for the Urgency is to Reduce Postharvest Food Loss in Developing Countries It has been shown that with our present food production technologies we are not going to be able to feed a ballooning world population expected to reach 9.6 billion people by 2050. Studies by the World Bank and UN FAO have shown that 1/3 of the food that is produced globally is lost between the time that it is harvested and consumed. This is enough food to feed two billion
The Reason for the Urgency is to Reduce Postharvest Food Loss in Developing Countries It has been shown that with our present food production technologies we are not going to be able to feed a ballooning world population expected to reach 9.6 billion people by 2050. Studies by the World Bank and UN FAO have shown that 1/3 of the food that is produced globally is lost between the time that it is harvested and consumed. This is enough food to feed two billion hungry people annually. If we are to feed the worlds expanding population, it is imperative that we save more of the food that we already produce. Those impacted most from these postharvest food losses are individuals living in developing countries where over 50% of their harvested crop is often lost. We have invested only 5% of our agricultural resources in the postharvest preservation of food versus 95% in food production. This has left us with a huge postharvest skill gap and technology gap globally especially when we attempt to reduce postharvest losses in developing countries. The WORLD FOOD PRESERVATION EDUCATION FOUNDATION, a non-profit 501 (c) (3) public charity, has identified over 100 qualified students/scientists in developing countries that are familiar with their postharvest food loss problems and are highly motivated to reduce them. Your contributions to this cause will allow aspiring scientists from developing countries to receive a world-class postharvest education (M.S. and Ph.D.) in the latest technologies for the postharvest preservation of food. Also, these students will conduct research on desperately needed new postharvest technologies.More information in the Press Release: