Food & Beverages

Biography

Biography: Ogunleye Akindele Olamide

Abstract

Most developing countries lose 30% of the food consumed; owing to the fact that these foods are perishable and only 20% of these foods have access to storage this result in postharvest losses of food crops which in turn have an adverse effect on food security (FAO 2009). However, Olaoye et al. (2014) argued that the percentage of food wastage is relative, as it varies from country to country. According to World Bank (2005), food security exists when people at all times have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritional food to meet their dietary needs and preferences for an active and healthy life. To achieve the goal of global food security, Thamaga-Chitja et al. (2004) asserted that among the various sustainability techniques in combating food insecurity such as improved plant varieties, intensification, urban and peri-urban farming among other, the effectiveness of efficient storage system cannot be overemphasized as it plays a significant role in mitigating against post-harvest losses, increasing the availability of food, hunger reduction and contributing significantly towards food security. Furthermore, FAO (2009) added that efficient storage have the potential of increasing farmer’s revenue and improving their livelihoods through the selling of stored farm produce during high demand season by the consumer. Therefore, it is important to give high priority to the improvement of an efficient storage, as this will ensure food availability and reduce the enormity caused by the increasing population. This paper will be focusing on the significance of a storage system within the developed and developing countries and how this can combat food wastage and loss, thereby increasing, and ensuring food availability and sustainability.