Thousands of tonnes of fruit and veg frittered away annually in SA: study
Up to 900 large truckloads of fruit and vegetables go to waste in South Africa every year.
That's according to a food systems researcher, who has put food waste in South Africa under the microscope.
In his PhD study at Stellenbosch University, Dr Ikechukwu Opara found that between nine and nearly 18, 000 tonnes of fresh produce are lost annually before it can reach the consumer’s table.
Dr Opara monitored the operational processes at one of the country's biggest fresh produce markets and conducted laboratory simulations of wholesale storage conditions.
He measured the physiological attributes and shelf life to identify quality issues of fresh produce before they're discarded at the market.
He found that wastage at wholesale level is due to poor transport systems, including breaks in the cold chain and poor handling.
Opara has warned that these post-harvest losses lead to higher food prices, which exacerbate poverty and leave homes with less money for other goods and services.
" Considering that over 63% of South African households experience varying levels of food insecurity, we must do everything we can to prevent post-harvest losses and reduce the amount of fruits and vegetables that go to waste each year."
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Dr Opara says comprehensive data on post-harvest waste, particularly at critical points, are needed to identify waste hotspots accurately and develop payload interventions to reduce waste at specific stages of the food supply chain.
Opara says machine learning can be used to optimise the food supply chain.
He explains that the measures can lower food prices, enhance food security, and help households access affordable fresh produce.
“Temperature control systems can be improved with machine learning tools that automatically monitor conditions and alert supervisors and people working in the market when temperature and humidity levels deviate from the set range.
“Additionally, machine learning can be used to forecast demand and optimise the process of ordering, storing, using and selling of products, especially in situations where this has been ineffective and contributing to food waste.
“Machine learning can also support dynamic pricing models. In this scenario, the system automatically tracks the supply date and shelf life of fresh produce, using that data to recommend prices that encourage quicker sales, thereby helping to minimise potential postharvest losses and waste.”
Opara says improving code storage, transport and how produce is handled could make a real difference in cutting losses and reducing waste."
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