Food & Beverages

Biography

Biography: Prasanta K Kalita

Abstract

More than 1 billion people worldwide face hunger today. Estimates suggest that each year one third of all food produced is lost or wasted. Reducing the postharvest losses (PHL) is an important opportunity for countries to sustainably combat hunger by making supply chains more efficient. Major PHL changes with local weather, topography, types of operations, and economic development. Different issues occur in developing and developed countries. In developing countries, losses happen mainly due to lack of proper technologies, facilities and knowledge of better practices. For developed countries, less loss occurs in the supply chain but more waste is found from the retailer and consumer levels. Comprehensive and updated information along the postharvest supply chain, including the processes of harvesting, cleaning, drying, storage, processing, transportation and marketing, is needed to plan future capacity building efforts to implement the most appropriate technological solution and best practices for reducing PHL. This presentation provides current worldwide PHL situation, critical points between developed and developing countries, the latest PHL data, and potential interventions of PHL prevention. The mission of ADM Institute at the University of Illinois is to be an international information and technology hub for evaluating, creating and disseminating economically viable technologies, practices and systems that reduce PHL. The presentation will also describe current international collaborated projects and other ongoing activities supported by the ADM Institute at the University of Illinois.