Reducing Food Loss and Waste through Value-Added Processes and Human Rights Advocacy

Cucumber from just 150' of row. In this 4 acre field, there was 40,952 pounds of #foodloss due to market conditions. Fresh, healthy, safe.

This food is ready to distribute and eat. The cucumber that I harvested for sampling were donated to my local #foodbank. The field was disked after that. Cucumbers are really prolific and produce so much, and farmers now are so talented and manage fields to top production.

Food loss and #foodwaste have been characterized as the world's dumbest problem because they coexist with #foodinsecurity. What stands in the way of this getting to people? Most say inequitable distribution. And, I fully agree. Thankfully, there are many efforts that are working on this. "Yes, And." I truly believe that our harvest systems need to be reevaluated as well. This is truly #wickedproblems, and why I get up every morning.

Can we look one level higher and say that #freshproduce needs to be valued, not just by consumers, but by the whole fresh produce industry? What kinds of #socialimpact could this have?

Let's take it one more level up. In the US, the right to food is not recognized as #humanrights, as it is in much of the rest of the world. This is so far out of my comfort zone, and makes me so angry. I would be happy to work on this with you, if you know where to start. Reach out!

By Dr. Lisa K. Johnson


#postharvest #sdg12