WORLD FOOD PRESERVATION CENTER?LLC, WFPC

Eight major research universities located in the United States, China, the United Kingdom, Africa, Australia, and South America have united to form the WORLD FOOD PRESERVATION CENTER™.  These "sister" universities will work together in a unique partnership to develop new low-cost, sustainable technologies to combat food loss in developing countries and throughout the world. This joint effort will also provide graduate students from developing countries with a world-class education in the postharvest preservation of food. One of the great challenges of the 21st century will be to feed a rapidly growing population. Current projections suggest the number of people on earth will outpace our ability to feed them by 2050. Food insecurity can lead not only to famine but also to political instability and violence.Evidence shows clearly that we cannot grow our way out of this crisis. Crop yields are currently increasing at a rate of only 1 to 2 percent annually, even as we invest hundreds of millions of dollars annually in agricultural science. Yet one solution to the problem of food scarcity is too often overlooked: We already have enough food to feed billions of more people if we only saved the food we grew. One-third of the food that we produce globally is lost between the time it is harvested and consumed. In developing countries, as much as half of harvested crops are lost between the field and consumer. Studies have shown that 95% of our agricultural dollars are spent on food production—and only 5% in postharvest preservation.The 2nd picture shows Dr. Charles L. Wilson, Founder/Chairman, World Food Preservation CenterTMLLC, seen here presenting the World Food Preservation CenterTMLLC concept at a 2013 FAO Save Food Partnership Event in Rome.