ECONOMIST KELVIN CHISANGA SAYS ZAMBIA URGENTLY NEEDS TO ADDRESS THE ADVERSE EFFECTS OF POST-HARVEST LOSSES ON AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE.
IN AN INTERVIEW, MR. CHISANGA HIGHLIGHTED THAT THE RECENT LAUNCH OF THE “SCALING SOLUTIONS FOR FOOD LOSS IN AFRICA” INITIATIVE BY THE ALLIANCE FOR A GREEN REVOLUTION IN AFRICA (AGRA) MARKS A MAJOR STEP FORWARD.
MR. CHISANGA NOTED THAT APPROXIMATELY US$15 MILLION IN FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL INTERVENTIONS COMMITTED BY KEY STRATEGIC STAKEHOLDERS, EFFORTS ARE NOW BEING SCALED UP TO MITIGATE THE LOSSES.
HE SAYS THAT THE INITIATIVE WILL SUPPORT FOOD STORAGE AND PROCESSING MODELS, INTRODUCE EFFECTIVE FOOD PRESERVATION TECHNIQUES, AND BUILD CAPACITY ACROSS THE ENTIRE FOOD VALUE CHAIN TO REDUCE WASTE.
MR. CHISANGA ASSERTED THAT TIMELY INTERVENTION IS ESPECIALLY CRITICAL FOR ZAMBIA, WHICH CONTINUES TO FACE THE AFTERMATH OF A DEVASTATING DROUGHT IN THE LAST FARMING SEASON.
HE HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THE COUNTRY’S RECORD IN BUMPER HARVEST DESPITE ITS HISTORICAL RECORDINGS, MAKING IT ALL THE MORE IMPORTANT TO PROTECT THOSE GAINS FROM BEING LOST AFTER HARVEST.