This is the 17th post in a blog series to be published in 2021 by the Secretariat on behalf of the AU High-Level Panel on Emerging Technologies (APET) and the Calestous Juma Executive Dialogues (CJED)

The African Union aspires to eliminate poverty, hunger, and food insecurity by 2025, as reaffirmed in Agenda 2063 and the African Union Summit decision on Accelerated Agricultural Growth and Transformation.[1] African countries are capable of feeding their citizenry because of the abundant human resource and fertile land suitable for growing accelerated agriculture. Unfortunately, Africa has not met these targets and continues to be challenged by some levels of poverty and hunger. Currently, there are approximately 226.7 million people that are starving in Africa, more especially within the Sub-Saharan African countries.[2]

However, several foundations, Non-Governmental Organisations and African Governments have invested in farming education, enhanced inputs, improved irrigation projects, and other initiatives to help farmers increase both the quality and quantity of their yields. With such improved crop yield quality and quantities, food wastages have been significantly persistent. Consequently, numerous Africans remain food insecure due to complications and inefficiencies within the food supply systems.

Food wastage refers to the food that is lost within the food supply value chain system. i.e., from production to harvesting and distribution in wholesale, retail, food-service, and households. This occurs through spillages and spoilages.[3] Current estimations have shown that one-third of edible food produced globally is wasted annually.[4] This constitutes approximately 1.3 billion tonnes of food that can feed the whole African population. These substantial financial costs of food wastage are approximately US$ 1 trillion annually.[5]

It has been reported that South Africa wastes approximately 10 million tonnes of food annually, and this is equivalent to about one-third of the 31 million tonnes of food produced annually within South Africa.[6] It has also been reported that fruits, vegetables, and cereals account for about 70% of the food wastage losses. Primarily, this food wastage occurs early in the food supply chain, more especially during the harvesting stage. Further to this, poor storage facilities, especially smallholder farmers, lead to pest and mould infestations that significantly ruin crops and produce post-harvest.

The lack of appropriate harvesting and storage technologies for numerous African farmers has led to crop and produce losses due to decay.[7] Furthermore, these food wastages have financial loss implications and have immensely contributed towards climate change through greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. For example, the carbon footprint of food wastage has been approximated to 3.3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) released into the atmosphere annually.[8]

The African Union Panel on Innovation and Emerging Technologies (APET) believes that food wastages can be reduced through innovative technologies within the African continent. For example, Burundi and Kenyan farmers have developed an evaporative charcoal cooler suitable for post-harvest preservation of tomatoes and kales (leaf cabbages)[9]. These charcoal coolers can also be utilised for leafy and highly perishable vegetables to prevent deterioration attributable to various biochemical decay and high temperatures. As such, the evaporative charcoal cooling systems can provide low-cost temporary storage technology options for smallholder vegetable farmers as an alternative to expensive cold rooms.

Some African countries have also adopted solar drying systems to overcome post-harvest losses of fruits and other fresh horticultural produce. In addition, canning technology has allowed African farmers to preserve fruits, meat products, and vegetables. The canning of foodstuffs involves airtight sealing of food in containers and exposing the canned product to a heat treatment. Consequently, the canning technology extends the shelf-life of products past the season of product’s normal availability using containers such as glass and metal jars, laminated pouches, plastic trays, and bowls.

Mobile abattoir technology is another technology that has been developed and adapted in some African countries to prevent the wastage of meat after slaughtering cattle, sheep, goats, and chickens for food supply. This means that after African farmers have slaughtered their cattle in remote and rural areas, they can transport their meat using mobile abattoirs.[10] These mobile abattoir systems utilise solar energy to power their winch facility, lighting, compression, de-hiders, and pneumatic saws.

In conclusion, APET’s position is that adopting such innovative technologies across the African continent can prevent food wastages and ensure food security. However, African Member States’ Governments are encouraged to enable farmers and innovators to develop affordable, smart, innovative, and competitive technologies based on indigenous knowledge technologies suitable for food wastage reduction. Such technological measures can ensure food security and improved nutrition for all Africa citizens. In this way, African countries can achieve sustainable and efficient food supply systems with minimal food wastages.

[1] Ending Hunger in Africa, The elimination of hunger and food insecurity on the African continent by 2025, Conditions for Success, https://www.nepad.org/caadp/publication/ending-hunger-africa-elimination-of-hunger-and-food-insecurity-african-2025#:~:text=The%20African%20Union%20has%20set,Union%2C%202014%2C%202015).&text=Nearly%20one%20in%20five%20people%20living%20in%20Africa%20is%20hungry.

[2] https://www.sos-usa.org/about-us/where-we-work/africa/hunger-in-africa#:~:text=According%20to%20this%20measure%2C%20226.7,highest%20in%20sub%2DSaharan%20Africa.

[3]https://provisioncoalition.com/Assets/ProvisionCoalition/Documents/Library%20Content/Food%20Waste%20Management/Food%20Loss%20and%20Waste%20Solutions%20Innovative%20Technologies%20and%20Best%20Practices.pdf

[4] https://farmingfirst.org/2019/04/18874/

[5] http://www.fao.org/nr/sustainability/food-loss-and-waste.

[6] https://www.wwf.org.za/?21641/Food-Loss-and-Waste-Facts-and-Futures-Report#:~:text=In%20South%20Africa%2C%2010%20million,in%20the%20food%20supply%20chain.

[7] https://www.wfpusa.org/articles/8-facts-to-know-about-food-waste-and-hunger/

[8] Food wastage footprint & Climate Change, http://www.fao.org/3/bb144e/bb144e.pdf.

[9] Burundi and Kenyan farmers have developed an evaporative charcoal cooler suitable for post-harvest preservation of tomatoes and kales (leaf cabbages).

[10] https://www.agri4africa.com/mobile-abattoir-in-many-countries-due-to-various-needs/.