African Food Loss Reduction Initiative

EALO published the research on which the recommendation is based.

Date

Not available

Last updated

2 October 2026

Evidence

No evidence recorded

Notes

20 March 2027 EALO published a comparative research study examining why significant quantities of agricultural produce are lost between farms and consumers across selected African markets. The research examined harvesting, storage, packaging, transportation, market access, price fluctuations, rejected produce, processing capacity, weather-related losses and information gaps between farmers and buyers. The research found that food loss is not caused by a single factor. Losses can occur at multiple points along the supply chain, including harvesting, collection, storage, transportation, market handling and distribution. The research therefore recommended addressing the entire supply chain rather than focusing exclusively on farmers. Research outputs included a research report, executive summary, field observations, farmer interviews, market interviews, supply-chain mapping and supporting agricultural data.

Source

Research Evidence: 1. EALO Research Report — Why So Much Food Is Lost Between Farmers and Consumers 2. Research Methodology 3. Farmer Interview Dataset 4. Market Assessment Report 5. Agricultural Supply-Chain Mapping 6. Field Observation Records Recommendation Evidence: 7. EALO Solution Brief — African Food Loss Reduction Initiative 8. Recommendation Presentation 9. Stakeholder Consultation Report 10. Meeting Minutes Adoption Evidence: 11. Institutional Adoption Letter 12. Pilot Approval Document 13. Implementation Agreement Implementation Evidence: 14. Pilot Implementation Plan 15. Farmer Participation Records 16. Storage Facility Records 17. Market Monitoring Records 18. Transportation Monitoring Records Results Evidence: 19. Pilot Results Report 20. Baseline and Endline Dataset 21. Farmer Evaluation Report 22. Trader and Buyer Evaluation Report Impact Evidence: 23. Six-Month Follow-Up Report 24. Impact Assessment 25. Employment/Income or Market Outcome Dataset, where applicable 26. Independent Evaluation or Verification Report

EALO presented the recommendation to decision-makers. Presenting is not adoption.

Date

Not available

Last updated

2 October 2026

Evidence

No evidence recorded

Notes

15 April 2027 EALO presented the research findings and proposed African Food Loss Reduction Initiative to relevant agricultural institutions, farmer organisations, market stakeholders and private-sector representatives. The presentation demonstrated that increasing agricultural production alone would not necessarily improve food availability if significant quantities of produce continued to be lost before reaching consumers. EALO proposed a controlled pilot focusing on selected agricultural supply chains rather than immediate national implementation. Stakeholders requested additional information concerning implementation costs, crop-specific loss patterns, storage requirements, transportation arrangements, farmer participation criteria and monitoring indicators. EALO subsequently submitted a detailed implementation and monitoring framework for consideration.

Source

Research Evidence: 1. EALO Research Report — Why So Much Food Is Lost Between Farmers and Consumers 2. Research Methodology 3. Farmer Interview Dataset 4. Market Assessment Report 5. Agricultural Supply-Chain Mapping 6. Field Observation Records Recommendation Evidence: 7. EALO Solution Brief — African Food Loss Reduction Initiative 8. Recommendation Presentation 9. Stakeholder Consultation Report 10. Meeting Minutes Adoption Evidence: 11. Institutional Adoption Letter 12. Pilot Approval Document 13. Implementation Agreement Implementation Evidence: 14. Pilot Implementation Plan 15. Farmer Participation Records 16. Storage Facility Records 17. Market Monitoring Records 18. Transportation Monitoring Records Results Evidence: 19. Pilot Results Report 20. Baseline and Endline Dataset 21. Farmer Evaluation Report 22. Trader and Buyer Evaluation Report Impact Evidence: 23. Six-Month Follow-Up Report 24. Impact Assessment 25. Employment/Income or Market Outcome Dataset, where applicable 26. Independent Evaluation or Verification Report

A decision-making institution formally accepted the recommendation. EALO does not adopt recommendations.

Date

Not available

Last updated

2 October 2026

Evidence

No evidence recorded

Notes

30 May 2027 The responsible institution agreed to adopt the recommendation for pilot testing in selected agricultural communities. The adopted pilot included four core components: 1. Food-loss measurement and baseline assessment. 2. Improved post-harvest handling practices. 3. Access to appropriate storage facilities. 4. Improved market and transportation coordination. The institution did not approve immediate continental or national implementation. Instead, it approved a controlled pilot to determine whether the proposed model could reduce food losses, improve market efficiency and produce measurable benefits for participating farmers and supply-chain actors. The adoption was subject to local adaptation based on crop type, community conditions, infrastructure and market characteristics.

Source

Research Evidence: 1. EALO Research Report — Why So Much Food Is Lost Between Farmers and Consumers 2. Research Methodology 3. Farmer Interview Dataset 4. Market Assessment Report 5. Agricultural Supply-Chain Mapping 6. Field Observation Records Recommendation Evidence: 7. EALO Solution Brief — African Food Loss Reduction Initiative 8. Recommendation Presentation 9. Stakeholder Consultation Report 10. Meeting Minutes Adoption Evidence: 11. Institutional Adoption Letter 12. Pilot Approval Document 13. Implementation Agreement Implementation Evidence: 14. Pilot Implementation Plan 15. Farmer Participation Records 16. Storage Facility Records 17. Market Monitoring Records 18. Transportation Monitoring Records Results Evidence: 19. Pilot Results Report 20. Baseline and Endline Dataset 21. Farmer Evaluation Report 22. Trader and Buyer Evaluation Report Impact Evidence: 23. Six-Month Follow-Up Report 24. Impact Assessment 25. Employment/Income or Market Outcome Dataset, where applicable 26. Independent Evaluation or Verification Report

The responsible institution put the adopted recommendation into practice. EALO does not implement.

Date

Not available

Last updated

2 October 2026

Evidence

No evidence recorded

Notes

The pilot began on 1 August 2027 and was implemented over a six-month period. Fictional pilot scope: 4 African countries 12 agricultural communities 2,400 participating farmers 85 traders and aggregators 24 collection or storage points 16 major markets Implementation followed a structured process. First, baseline measurements were taken to establish the quantity of produce harvested, transported, sold and lost. Second, teams identified the points where the greatest losses occurred. Third, participating farmers and aggregators received practical guidance on harvesting, sorting, packaging, handling and temporary storage. Fourth, selected communities received access to improved storage arrangements. Fifth, market and transportation coordination was improved to reduce delays between harvesting and sale. Sixth, participating farmers received improved information about buyer demand, collection schedules and market requirements. Finally, EALO monitored implementation through records covering quantities harvested, quantities lost, storage duration, transportation delays, rejected produce, farmer participation and market outcomes.

Source

Research Evidence: 1. EALO Research Report — Why So Much Food Is Lost Between Farmers and Consumers 2. Research Methodology 3. Farmer Interview Dataset 4. Market Assessment Report 5. Agricultural Supply-Chain Mapping 6. Field Observation Records Recommendation Evidence: 7. EALO Solution Brief — African Food Loss Reduction Initiative 8. Recommendation Presentation 9. Stakeholder Consultation Report 10. Meeting Minutes Adoption Evidence: 11. Institutional Adoption Letter 12. Pilot Approval Document 13. Implementation Agreement Implementation Evidence: 14. Pilot Implementation Plan 15. Farmer Participation Records 16. Storage Facility Records 17. Market Monitoring Records 18. Transportation Monitoring Records Results Evidence: 19. Pilot Results Report 20. Baseline and Endline Dataset 21. Farmer Evaluation Report 22. Trader and Buyer Evaluation Report Impact Evidence: 23. Six-Month Follow-Up Report 24. Impact Assessment 25. Employment/Income or Market Outcome Dataset, where applicable 26. Independent Evaluation or Verification Report

Documented outputs or outcomes following implementation, reported by a verifiable source.

Date

Not available

Last updated

2 October 2026

Evidence

No evidence recorded

Notes

31 January 2028 The pilot evaluation compared baseline conditions with results recorded at the end of implementation. Fictional results: Average measured food loss decreased from 18% at baseline to 11% at the end of the pilot. This represented an approximate 39% reduction in measured losses relative to the baseline. Additional results included: 2,400 farmers participated in the pilot. 2,080 completed the full intervention cycle. 85 traders and aggregators participated. 325 farmers completed structured market or storage interventions. Rejected produce declined in several participating markets. Average time between harvesting and market delivery decreased in selected supply chains. Participating farmers reported improved predictability of market arrangements. Several storage facilities recorded lower spoilage levels than baseline measurements. The results were not uniform across all locations. Some communities experienced smaller improvements because of poor transportation infrastructure, insufficient storage capacity, market-price fluctuations, weather conditions and inconsistent buyer demand. The results therefore demonstrated promising outcomes but did not automatically establish that the intervention would produce the same results at national or continental scale.

Source

Research Evidence: 1. EALO Research Report — Why So Much Food Is Lost Between Farmers and Consumers 2. Research Methodology 3. Farmer Interview Dataset 4. Market Assessment Report 5. Agricultural Supply-Chain Mapping 6. Field Observation Records Recommendation Evidence: 7. EALO Solution Brief — African Food Loss Reduction Initiative 8. Recommendation Presentation 9. Stakeholder Consultation Report 10. Meeting Minutes Adoption Evidence: 11. Institutional Adoption Letter 12. Pilot Approval Document 13. Implementation Agreement Implementation Evidence: 14. Pilot Implementation Plan 15. Farmer Participation Records 16. Storage Facility Records 17. Market Monitoring Records 18. Transportation Monitoring Records Results Evidence: 19. Pilot Results Report 20. Baseline and Endline Dataset 21. Farmer Evaluation Report 22. Trader and Buyer Evaluation Report Impact Evidence: 23. Six-Month Follow-Up Report 24. Impact Assessment 25. Employment/Income or Market Outcome Dataset, where applicable 26. Independent Evaluation or Verification Report

Evidence that changes can reasonably be attributed to the implemented recommendation.

Date

Not available

Last updated

2 October 2026

Evidence

No evidence recorded

Notes

31 July 2028 Six months after the pilot ended, EALO conducted a follow-up assessment to determine whether the observed improvements were sustained. The assessment examined whether food-loss levels remained below baseline, whether improved handling practices continued, whether storage facilities remained operational, whether farmers continued using the market-coordination system, and whether the intervention remained financially and operationally sustainable. Fictional follow-up findings indicated that most participating communities continued using improved handling practices and that several storage facilities remained operational. Food-loss levels remained below the original baseline in most participating locations, although some communities experienced renewed losses during periods of transportation disruption. Farmers identified improved market coordination as one of the most useful components of the intervention. The assessment also identified continuing challenges involving infrastructure, storage maintenance, local management and market volatility. Impact assessment conclusion: The evidence indicated measurable and partially sustained reductions in food loss in several participating supply chains. However, the strength of the impact varied by location and crop. The intervention was therefore classified as: Evidence of measurable impact — with conditions for further adaptation and scale-up.

Source

Research Evidence: 1. EALO Research Report — Why So Much Food Is Lost Between Farmers and Consumers 2. Research Methodology 3. Farmer Interview Dataset 4. Market Assessment Report 5. Agricultural Supply-Chain Mapping 6. Field Observation Records Recommendation Evidence: 7. EALO Solution Brief — African Food Loss Reduction Initiative 8. Recommendation Presentation 9. Stakeholder Consultation Report 10. Meeting Minutes Adoption Evidence: 11. Institutional Adoption Letter 12. Pilot Approval Document 13. Implementation Agreement Implementation Evidence: 14. Pilot Implementation Plan 15. Farmer Participation Records 16. Storage Facility Records 17. Market Monitoring Records 18. Transportation Monitoring Records Results Evidence: 19. Pilot Results Report 20. Baseline and Endline Dataset 21. Farmer Evaluation Report 22. Trader and Buyer Evaluation Report Impact Evidence: 23. Six-Month Follow-Up Report 24. Impact Assessment 25. Employment/Income or Market Outcome Dataset, where applicable 26. Independent Evaluation or Verification Report