Post-Harvest Innovation Learning Alliance (PHILA)

Underlying problems

Household food security remains precarious for large numbers of people in the rural areas of much of sub-Saharan Africa. Food production levels show little or no increase, and are declining in some cases.

While perceptions of the underlying problem are generally shared, post-harvest service provision and supporting research initiatives have focused on the development of technologies with less attention being given to distinguishing between the needs and priorities of different households, exploring farmers’ own research capabilities, or understanding delivery system constraints.

The attention that has been focused on markets does not take into account or address the concerns of those many small-scale farmers who struggle to produce enough food to feed their families and replenish their stores for the off season.