FAO regional workshop for food loss reduction strategy development

A three-day workshop organized in the framework of the project entitled ‘Food loss reduction strategy development in favour of smallholder producers in Africa Phase 1’ was held in Douala, Cameroun, 7-9 June 2016. The workshop is part of a project launched in 2014, funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and implemented by FAO in eleven African countries (Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, Rwanda, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe) in partnership with respective Ministries of Agriculture and other stakeholders.

Almost 40 participants from ministries, research institutions and universities of 10 countries, and officers from relevant international organizations discussed about food loss in their countries and possible reduction strategies. Examples from Rwanda, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, and DRC have been illustrated and working groups sessions to discuss losses of some specific crops such as cassava, maize, tomatoes, and fish have produced important points of reflection. The CoP on food loss reduction and the Global Initiative on food loss and waste (SAVE FOOD) have been presented with the aim to increase the engagement from Africa countries.

A field trip for visiting infrastructural sites built for the reduction of losses in the fish and other agricultural products chains took place (a presentation by FAO on this topic is accessible here).

Field trip: woman processor

Field trip: fish smoking session

Key messages and recommendations on the SAVE FOOD case study methodology have been agreed by participants and will be taken into consideration especially in view of the design of a second phase of the project.

More information about the workshop, in French, can be downloaded here. The Agenda (in French) is also available here and Final report. If you are also interested to read about the workshop held in Harare, Zimbabwe on the same topic in March 2016, click here.