[go: up one dir, main page]
IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/pra/mprapa/80378.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Reality of Food Losses: A New Measurement Methodology

Author

Listed:
  • Delgado, Luciana
  • Schuster, Monica
  • Torero, Maximo
Abstract
Measuring food loss, identifying where in the food system it occurs, and developing effective policies along every stage of the value chain are essential first steps in addressing the problem of food loss in developing countries. Food loss has been defined in many ways, and disagreement remains regarding proper terminology and measurement methodology. Although the terms “post-harvest loss,” “food loss,” and “food loss and waste” are frequently used interchangeably, they do not refer consistently to the same aspects of the problem. In addition, none of these classifications includes pre-harvest losses. Figures regarding food loss remain highly inconsistent, precise causes of food loss remain undetected, and success stories of decreasing food loss remain few. We improve over this measurement gap on food losses by developing and testing the methodology traditionally used with three new methodologies that aim to reduce the measurement error in assessing the magnitude of food loss. The methods account for losses from the pre-harvest stage through product distribution and include both quantity loss and quality deterioration. We apply the instrument to producers, middlemen, and processors in seven staple food value chains in five developing countries. Throughout the different estimation methodologies, losses at the producer level represent between 60 and 80 percent of total value chain losses, while the average loss at the middleman and processor level lies around 7 and 19 percent, respectively. Differences across methodologies are salient, especially at the producer level. While the estimation results from the three new methods implemented are close and the differences are mostly not statistically significant, the aggregate self-reported method reports systematically lower loss figures. Finally, our results show the major reasons behind the losses identified for each commodity and country. Specifically, we find that they included pests and diseases and lack of rainfall. When looking at the produce left in the field, the major reason for the loss is a lack of appropriate harvesting techniques. Finally, the loss reported at the post-harvest level is due mostly to damage done during selection, as a result of workers’ lack of training and experience in selecting the produce. Therefore, technology, improved seeds and the proper soil management techniques together with better market access could help to substantially reduce the losses at the producer level.

Suggested Citation

  • Delgado, Luciana & Schuster, Monica & Torero, Maximo, 2017. "Reality of Food Losses: A New Measurement Methodology," MPRA Paper 80378, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:80378
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/80378/3/MPRA_paper_80378.pdf
    File Function: original version
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. World Bank, 2011. "Missing Food : The Case of Postharvest Grain Losses in Sub-Saharan Africa," World Bank Publications - Reports 2824, The World Bank Group.
    2. de Mel, Suresh & McKenzie, David J. & Woodruff, Christopher, 2009. "Measuring microenterprise profits: Must we ask how the sausage is made?," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(1), pages 19-31, January.
    3. Marc F. Bellemare & Metin Çakir & Hikaru Hanawa Peterson & Lindsey Novak & Jeta Rudi, 2017. "On the Measurement of Food Waste," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 99(5), pages 1148-1158.
    4. Gang Liu, 2014. "Food Losses and Food Waste in China: A First Estimate," OECD Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Papers 66, OECD Publishing.
    5. Christiaensen,Luc & Kaminski,Jonathan & Christiaensen,Luc & Kaminski,Jonathan, 2014. "Post-harvest loss in Sub-Saharan Africa -- what do farmers say ?," Policy Research Working Paper Series 6831, The World Bank.
    6. Buzby, Jean C. & Farah-Wells, Hodan & Hyman, Jeffrey, 2014. "The Estimated Amount, Value, and Calories of Postharvest Food Losses at the Retail and Consumer Levels in the United States," Economic Information Bulletin 164262, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    7. Venkat, Kumar, 2012. "The Climate Change and Economic Impacts of Food Waste in the United States," International Journal on Food System Dynamics, International Center for Management, Communication, and Research, vol. 2(4), pages 1-16, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Helen Onyeaka & Phemelo Tamasiga & Uju Mary Nwauzoma & Taghi Miri & Uche Chioma Juliet & Ogueri Nwaiwu & Adenike A. Akinsemolu, 2023. "Using Artificial Intelligence to Tackle Food Waste and Enhance the Circular Economy: Maximising Resource Efficiency and Minimising Environmental Impact: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-20, July.
    2. Alwin Dsouza & Ashok K. Mishra & Scott Webster, 2023. "Vertical coordination and post‐harvest losses: Implications on food loss," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 45(1), pages 460-486, March.
    3. Lenis Saweda O Liverpool‐Tasie & Charuta M. Parkhi, 2021. "Climate Risk and Technology Adoption in the Midstream of Crop Value Chains: Evidence from Nigerian Maize Traders," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 72(1), pages 158-179, February.
    4. Ambler, Kate & Brauw, Alan de & Godlonton, Susan, 2018. "Measuring postharvest losses at the farm level in Malawi," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 62(1), January.
    5. Henrike Hermanussen & Jens-Peter Loy & Bekhzod Egamberdiev, 2022. "Determinants of Food Waste from Household Food Consumption: A Case Study from Field Survey in Germany," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-22, October.
    6. Xira Ruiz-Campillo & Elena Bulmer, 2021. "Drivers and Solutions for Food Waste in the Restoration Sector: A Case Study," Journal of Food Research, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 9(5), pages 1-32, December.
    7. Minten, Bart & Tamru, Seneshaw & Reardon, Thomas, 2021. "Post-harvest losses in rural-urban value chains: Evidence from Ethiopia," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    8. Chaboud, Géraldine & Moustier, Paule, 2021. "The role of diverse distribution channels in reducing food loss and waste: The case of the Cali tomato supply chain in Colombia," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    9. Jonata M. Ueda & Mariana C. Pedrosa & Sandrina A. Heleno & Márcio Carocho & Isabel C. F. R. Ferreira & Lillian Barros, 2022. "Food Additives from Fruit and Vegetable By-Products and Bio-Residues: A Comprehensive Review Focused on Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-18, April.
    10. Delgado, Luciana & Schuster, Monica & Torero, Maximo, 2021. "Quantity and quality food losses across the value Chain: A Comparative analysis," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    11. Aurélie Bechoff & Apurba Shee & Brighton M. Mvumi & Patrick Ngwenyama & Hawi Debelo & Mario G. Ferruzzi & Loveness K. Nyanga & Sarah Mayanja & Keith I. Tomlins, 2022. "Estimation of nutritional postharvest losses along food value chains: A case study of three key food security commodities in sub-Saharan Africa," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 14(3), pages 571-590, June.
    12. Freudenreich, Hanna & Musshoff, Oliver, 2022. "Experience of losses and aversion to uncertainty - experimental evidence from farmers in Mexico," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).
    13. Małgorzata Karwowska & Sylwia Łaba & Krystian Szczepański, 2021. "Food Loss and Waste in Meat Sector—Why the Consumption Stage Generates the Most Losses?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-13, June.
    14. Fabi, Carola & Cachia, Franck & Conforti, Piero & English, Alicia & Rosero Moncayo, José, 2021. "Improving data on food losses and waste: From theory to practice," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    15. Rahal, Imen & Elloumi, Abdelkarim, 2023. "Climate change's effects on food Security in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)," MPRA Paper 118569, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    16. Luciana Delgado & Monica Schuster & Maximo Torero, 2021. "On the origins of food loss," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 43(2), pages 750-780, June.
    17. Cattaneo, Andrea & Sánchez, Marco V. & Torero, Máximo & Vos, Rob, 2021. "Reducing food loss and waste: Five challenges for policy and research," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    18. Julian Parfitt & Tim Croker & Anna Brockhaus, 2021. "Global Food Loss and Waste in Primary Production: A Reassessment of Its Scale and Significance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-24, November.
    19. Mequanint B. Melesse & Marrit Berg & Christophe Béné & Alan Brauw & Inge D. Brouwer, 2020. "Metrics to analyze and improve diets through food Systems in low and Middle Income Countries," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 12(5), pages 1085-1105, October.
    20. Noelia S. Bedoya-Perales & Glenio Piran Dal’ Magro, 2021. "Quantification of Food Losses and Waste in Peru: A Mass Flow Analysis along the Food Supply Chain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-15, March.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Delgado, Luciana & Schuster, Monica & Torero, Maximo, 2021. "Quantity and quality food losses across the value Chain: A Comparative analysis," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    2. Chegere, Martin Julius, 2018. "Post-harvest losses reduction by small-scale maize farmers: The role of handling practices," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 103-115.
    3. Jiang, J.-Q. & Yu, T. & Wang, Z.-H. & Qi, D.-M & Huang, W.-Z, 2018. "Analyzing the Size and Affecting Factors of Household Food Waste in China," 2018 Conference, July 28-August 2, 2018, Vancouver, British Columbia 277551, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    4. Minten, Bart & Tamru, Seneshaw & Reardon, Thomas, 2021. "Post-harvest losses in rural-urban value chains: Evidence from Ethiopia," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    5. Sarah Jansen & William Foster & Gustavo Anríquez & Jorge Ortega, 2021. "Understanding Farm-Level Incentives within the Bioeconomy Framework: Prices, Product Quality, Losses, and Bio-Based Alternatives," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-21, January.
    6. Bachewe Fantu & Minten Bart & Seyoum Taffesse Alemayehu & Pauw Karl & Cameron Alethia & Genye Endaylalu Tirsit, 2020. "Farmers’ Grain Storage and Losses in Ethiopia," Journal of Agricultural & Food Industrial Organization, De Gruyter, vol. 18(1), pages 1-19, January.
    7. Ellison, Brenna, 2021. "Framing Food Loss – Why It Matters," farmdoc daily, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, vol. 11(98), June.
    8. Cattaneo, Andrea & Sánchez, Marco V. & Torero, Máximo & Vos, Rob, 2021. "Reducing food loss and waste: Five challenges for policy and research," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    9. Martin Julius Chegere & Razack Lokina & Agnes G. Mwakaje, 2020. "The impact of hermetic storage bag supply and training on food security in Tanzania," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 12(6), pages 1299-1316, December.
    10. Gross, Jeremie & Guirkinger, Catherine & Platteau, Jean-Philippe, 2020. "Buy as you need: Nutrition and food storage imperfections," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    11. Richards, Timothy J. & Hamilton, Stephen F., 2018. "Food waste in the sharing economy," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 109-123.
    12. Curzi, Daniele & Nota, Paolo & Di Falco, Salvatore, 2022. "Post-Harvest Losses and Climate Conditions in Sub-Saharan Africa," 96th Annual Conference, April 4-6, 2022, K U Leuven, Belgium 321219, Agricultural Economics Society - AES.
    13. Ambler, Kate & Brauw, Alan de & Godlonton, Susan, 2018. "Measuring postharvest losses at the farm level in Malawi," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 62(1), January.
    14. Yu, Yang & Jaenicke, Edward C., 2021. "The effect of sell-by dates on purchase volume and food waste," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    15. Brenna Ellison & Linlin Fan & Norbert L.W. Wilson, 2022. "Is it more convenient to waste? Trade‐offs between grocery shopping and waste behaviors," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 53(S1), pages 75-89, November.
    16. Yu, Yang & Jaenicke, Edward C., 2018. "The Effect of Sell-By Dates on Purchase Volume and Food Waste: A Case of New York City’s Sell-By Regulation of Milk," 2018 Annual Meeting, August 5-7, Washington, D.C. 273862, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    17. Min, Shi & Wang, Xiaobing & Yu, Xiaohua, 2021. "Does dietary knowledge affect household food waste in the developing economy of China?," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    18. Xue Qu & Daizo Kojima & Laping Wu & Mitsuyoshi Ando, 2021. "The Losses in the Rice Harvest Process: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-25, August.
    19. Omotilewa, Oluwatoba J. & Ricker-Gilbert, Jacob & Ainembabazi, John Herbert & Shively, Gerald E., 2018. "Does improved storage technology promote modern input use and food security? Evidence from a randomized trial in Uganda," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 176-198.
    20. Yi Luo & Dong Huang & Fangfang Cao, 2022. "The Impact of Family Members Serving as Village Cadres on Rural Household Food Waste: Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-14, February.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Losses; Value Chains; PHL; Food Loss and Waste;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D24 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Production; Cost; Capital; Capital, Total Factor, and Multifactor Productivity; Capacity
    • Q13 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Agricultural Markets and Marketing; Cooperatives; Agribusiness
    • Q18 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Agricultural Policy; Food Policy; Animal Welfare Policy

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:80378. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Joachim Winter (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/vfmunde.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.