1. Alleviating Poverty and Malnutrition in Agrobiodiversity Hotspots
Knowledge Empowerment of Farmers:
Trimming down the losses from
‘Lost Harvest’ and ‘Food waste’
in the tribal tract of Koraput, Odisha, India
Chaudhury Shripati Mishra, Seema Tigga, Trinath Taraputia,
Malay Kumar Sahu, Ashis Kumar Sagar
M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, Odisha, India
International Food Security Dialogue 2014
Theme
Enhancing Food Production, Gender Equity and Nutritional
Security in a Changing World

2. Alleviating Poverty and Malnutrition in Agrobiodiversity Hotspots
Introduction
Lost harvest - Physical spoilage and partial deterioration
rendering the food unsuitable for consumption
Food waste - Food losses occurring at the end of the food
chain (Parfitt et al 2010)
Around 1.3 billion tonnes of food which is one third of the
annual global food production is lost or wasted every
year (30% of total cereals, 40-50% of root crops, fruits
and vegetables, 20% of oil seeds and 30% of meat, dairy
and fish products)
The per capita food waste: 95-115 kg per annum in North
America and Europe, 6-11 kg per annum in sub-Saharan
Africa and south and south-eastern Asia (FAO 2011)

3. Alleviating Poverty and Malnutrition in Agrobiodiversity Hotspots
In developing countries, the food loss is highly evident in
the initial phases of the value chain due to ‘financial,
managerial and technical constraints in harvesting
techniques as well as storage and cooling facilities’.
In India, food losses may negate the effects of growth in
agricultural production and may adversely affect food
and nutrition security of the nation facing grave
challenges of malnutrition
Incidences of stunting, wasting and underweight in 45%,
23% and 40% children below three years of age
respectively
Incidences of anaemia in 56% and 24% women and men
respectively
Anaemia reported in 79% children in the age group of 6 to
35 months
(The National Family Survey 2005-06)

4. Alleviating Poverty and Malnutrition in Agrobiodiversity Hotspots

5. Alleviating Poverty and Malnutrition in Agrobiodiversity Hotspots
Social Composition in Intervention Villages
PORAJA BHUMIA
PENTHIABHATRA

6. Alleviating Poverty and Malnutrition in Agrobiodiversity Hotspots
Objectives
The present study attempts
1. To gauge the food loss at various levels of the
value chain
2. To design and implement research initiatives to
minimise the food loss
3. To assess the effect of interventions on lost
harvest and food waste over a period of 24
months

7. Alleviating Poverty and Malnutrition in Agrobiodiversity Hotspots
Methodology
• 50 farmers selected for each of the three cereal crops (paddy,
finger millet and little millet)
• 150 vegetable cultivators selected with 30 farmers each for
cauliflower, tomato, okra, pumpkin and brinjal
• 30 fruit growers for each fruit namely Jack fruit, mango and
banana selected
• Equal numbers of men and women farmers belonging to
Poraja, Bhumia, Penthia and Bhatra tribes selected
• Random selection of 20 wholesalers and 30 retailers for each
of the cereals, vegetables and fruits by employing the
methodology of ‘overall assessment of the commodity
movement system’
• Stakeholders of the food value chain interviewed using a
questionnaire
• Benchmark survey on Nov 2011 and Impact assessment survey
in Jan 2014

8. Alleviating Poverty and Malnutrition in Agrobiodiversity Hotspots
• Integrated pest and disease management
• Crop nutrient management
• PVS trials to decrease shattering of
grains
• Efficient transportation of agricultural
produce
• Post harvest food processing
• Revival of efficient storage practices
• Strengthening of market linkages
Results and Discussion

9. Alleviating Poverty and Malnutrition in Agrobiodiversity Hotspots
Integrated pest and disease management
• Promotion of organic pesticides (application of neem
(Azadirachta indica))
• Inclusion of preventive practices
• Use of trap crops (Indian mustard (Brassica juncea) and
marigold in vegetable cultivation and niger (Guizotia
abyssinica) in finger millet and little millet)
• Identification of pests and diseases and use of right dose
rate of inorganic pesticides
• Quality seed production and seed treatment
• Periodic trainings
• Intra-community knowledge and experience sharing

10. Alleviating Poverty and Malnutrition in Agrobiodiversity Hotspots
Crop nutrient management
• Over application and under application of macro and micro
nutrients, leads to increased incidences of diseases (Rush et
al., 1997)
• Capacity building of the community on the recommended
dose rates of macro and micro nutrients for common
cereals, vegetables and fruits
PVS trials to decrease shattering of grains
• Improved varieties (GPU 67, GPU 45 and GPU 28) and
landraces (Dasaramandia and Telengamandia) of finger
millet with the attribute of least shattering of grains
promoted
• Paddy: Improved varieties (Jajati, Pratikshya and
Sahabhagi) and landraces (Machakanta and Sapuri)
• Little millet: Landrace (Badasuan)

11. Alleviating Poverty and Malnutrition in Agrobiodiversity Hotspots
Efficient transportation of agricultural produce
• Traditionally transported to storage facility or threshing
yard on shoulders, head load and bullock cart, bicycle
• Non-availability on time and high rental charges of
mechanical modes of transport
• Loss of harvest due to theft, rain/ hailstones, damage by
birds, rodents and stray animals
• Improper maintenance of containers/trailers of irregular
size, shape, presence of cracks, uneven surface and corners,
serrated ends, absence of strong guarding walls and lack of
waterproof top covering facility
• Provided power tillers with trailers as a not-for profit service
• Proper plastic containers, waterproof top covering facility,
round and smooth edges and compact side guards
• Reduction in average transportation time of agricultural
produce from storage area to wholesalers/retailers by 38%

12. Alleviating Poverty and Malnutrition in Agrobiodiversity Hotspots

13. Alleviating Poverty and Malnutrition in Agrobiodiversity Hotspots
Post harvest food processing
Traditionally used foot operated pounders (dhinki) and hand
held pounders (musala)
The average broken paddy grain content in foot operated
pounding and hand held pounding are 18.3% and 14.7%
respectively. Brought down to 6.5% with mechanical
hulling
Little millet dehuskers reduced the broken/damaged grain
content from 14% in hand pounding to 4.3% in mechanical
processing

14. Alleviating Poverty and Malnutrition in Agrobiodiversity Hotspots
Revival of efficient storage practices
• Challenges: Use of unsuitable containers, exposure to
extreme temperatures inappropriate storage facility,
improper storage practices leading to high moisture
content, growth of moulds, insect and rodent infestation,
loss of quality due to droppings of rodents and insects,
spillage and leakage of agricultural produce during
transportation
• Promotion of traditional earthen pots and bamboo
containers with organic insecticides and fungicides
(turmeric, neem leaves and char), use of paddy straw as an
affordable and effective packing material
Strengthening of market linkages
• Promotion of collective action through Community Based
Organizations (CBOs)
• Efficient and affordable transportation facility

15. Alleviating Poverty and Malnutrition in Agrobiodiversity Hotspots
Crop Pest infestations
Decreased incidence in
2013-14 over 2010-12
(in %)
Diseases
Decreased incidence
in 2013-14 over 2010-
12 (in %)
Paddy
Plant Hoppers (BHP) 52 Blast disease 29
Stem borer 36 False Smut 17
Swarming caterpillar 42 Sheath Blight 22
Rice hispa 27 Stem rot 81
Finger millet
Caterpillar 19 Cercospora leaf spot 21
- - Seedling and leaf blight 16
Cauliflower
Diamondback moth 72 Stalk rot 34
- - Black rot 44
Tomato
Fruit borer 41 Damping off disease 52
White fly 31 Early blight 43
Mite 12 Fusarium wilt 61
Okra
Shoot and Fruit Borer 58 Yellow vein mosaic virus 07
Leaf Hopper 31 Powdery mildew 56
Okra Stemfly 24 Fusarium wilt 14
Pumpkin
Phytophthora Blight 06 Bacterial Wilt 19
Powdery Mildew 17 - -
Brinjal
Shoot and fruit borer 48 Leaf blight and fruit rot disease 37
Stem borer 39 Fungal wilt 78
Epilachna beetle 83 Bacterial wilt 62
Jack fruit
Shoot-borer caterpillar 21 Pink disease 26
Mealy bugs 81 Stem rot 16
Spittle bug 12 Gray blight 37
Jack scale 03 Charcoal rot 29
Mango
Mealy Bugs 08 Anthracnose 22
Inflorescence Midge 19 Phoma Blight 35
Shoot Borer 28 Red Rust 19
Leaf Webber 13 Diplodia Stem-end Rot 31
Banana
Banana Aphid 32 Panama Wilt 17
Rhizome Weevil 21 Leaf Spot, Leaf Streak or Sigatoka Disease 04
Pseudostem Borer 22 Crown Rot 18
Burrowing Nematode 09 Pseudostem Heart Rot 07

16. Alleviating Poverty and Malnutrition in Agrobiodiversity Hotspots

17. Alleviating Poverty and Malnutrition in Agrobiodiversity Hotspots
Particulars
Paddy (in %) Finger millet (in %) Little millet (in %)
2010-11 2013-14 2010-11 2013-14 2010-11 2013-14
1. Production losses
a)Pest
b)Disease
c)Damage by birds, rodents and stray animals
d)Rain/ hailstones
e)Shattering of grains
f)Theft
5.92
7.81
1.21
0.18
0.49
0.32
2.12
3.43
1.18
0.22
0.17
0.29
0.72
0.94
0.52
0.48
0.69
-
0.19
0.24
0.54
0.53
0.69
-
0.96
1.09
1.22
0.86
0.51
-
0.57
0.35
1.18
0.96
0.22
-
2. Post harvest losses
a)Harvesting
b)Shattering of grains while transporting to threshing
yard
c)Damage by rodents in the threshing yard
d)Broken grains/ excessive hulling/ dehusking
e)Storage (molds/ humidity/ insect/ rodents)
f)Physical damage during transportation (spillage/
breakage of grains/ leakage)
0.43
0.61
1.06
0.89
2.28
0.37
0.45
0.16
1.09
0.26
0.91
0.12
0.09
0.29
1.18
1.02
1.76
1.61
0.10
0.11
1.14
0.42
0.57
0.39
0.28
0.72
1.22
0.87
1.04
1.31
0.25
0.31
1.25
0.07
0.49
0.17
3. Losses during marketing
a)Damage during handling
b)Discarded (quality loss)
c)Storage (molds/ humidity/ insect/ rodents)
0.03
0.51
1.79
0.04
0.19
0.61
0.18
0.64
2.06
0.17
0.34
1.67
0.17
0.13
0.99
0.19
0.09
0.64
Total loss 23.90 11.24 12.18 7.10 11.49 6.74
Food loss in major food grains cultivated in Kundra

18. Alleviating Poverty and Malnutrition in Agrobiodiversity Hotspots
Food loss in major vegetables grown in Kundra
Particulars
Cauliflower (in %) Tomato (in %) Ocra (in %) Pumpkin (in %) Brinjal (in %)
2010-11 2013-14 2010-11 2013-14 2010-11 2013-14 2010-11 2013-14 2010-11 2013-14
1. Production losses
a)Pest
b)Disease
c)Damage by birds
d)Damage by rodents and stray animals
e)Rain/ hailstones
f)Delayed harvest leading to excess
ripening
g)Rotten crop due to contact with ground
h)Theft
5.07
11.74
0.32
0.93
0.47
-
-
1.32
3.09
7.45
0.33
0.49
0.51
-
-
1.28
2.06
8.16
2.31
1.82
4.46
2.18
3.03
0.97
1.75
4.89
2.21
1.63
4.25
1.88
2.47
1.02
7.24
11.92
0.09
0.27
0.21
0.41
-
0.25
5.45
8.01
0.1
0.29
0.19
0.48
-
0.3
2.54
14.87
1.67
6.17
0.22
-
0.21
0.54
2.33
9.07
1.54
5.19
0.15
-
0.17
0.48
8.05
13.03
-
1.38
0.52
0.04
1.67
0.21
7.14
8.79
-
1.4
0.44
0.04
1.39
0.25
2. Post harvest losses
a)Picking/harvesting
b)Grading/sorting
c)Damage by rodents
d)Packing the produce
e)Temporary storage
f)Fungal contamination
g)Physical damage during transportation
(pressed/pock marked)
h)Economic loss due to partial damage
0.11
0.21
0.46
0.22
0.07
0.94
0.22
0.27
0.12
0.18
0.48
0.16
0.04
0.81
0.16
0.17
0.28
1.02
0.57
1.89
0.71
0.64
1.52
0.39
0.21
0.96
0.55
1.58
0.47
0.51
1.32
0.11
0.06
0.6
0.04
0.02
0.12
0.19
0.41
0.24
0.08
0.44
0.06
0.02
0.07
0.14
0.28
0.16
-
0.09
0.22
0.01
-
0.33
0.21
0.23
-
0.1
0.19
0.0
0.01
0.27
0.16
0.09
0.26
0.36
0.04
0.03
0.21
0.18
0.27
1.01
0.24
0.25
0.05
0.03
0.17
0.18
0.24
0.92
3. Losses during marketing
a)Damage during handling
b)Sorted out/discarded
0.05
3.41
0.03
2.85
1.09
2.62
0.92
2.5
0.17
3.07
0.19
2.85
0.12
2.02
0.14
1.88
0.42
3.48
0.36
2.48
Total loss 31.34 18.15 40.94 29.23 28.34 19.11 33.58 21.77 35.7 24.37

19. Alleviating Poverty and Malnutrition in Agrobiodiversity Hotspots
Food loss in major fruits grown in Kundra
Particulars
Jack fruit (in %) Mango (in %) Banana (in %)
2010-11 2013-14 2010-11 2013-14 2010-11 2013-14
1. Production losses
a)Pest
b)Disease
c)Damage by birds
d)Damage by rodents and stray animals
e)Rain/ hailstones
f)Delayed harvest leading to excess ripening
g)Theft
4.67
2.44
0.21
0.02
1.68
-
1.07
2.42
1.91
0.24
0.03
1.59
-
1.02
3.83
11.27
0.27
-
2.12
-
2.74
2.57
8.64
0.23
0.03
2.02
-
2.86
4.66
7.62
0.86
0.41
1.13
-
0.56
3.54
5.95
0.79
0.4
1.7
-
0.63
2. Post harvest losses
a)Picking/harvesting
b)Grading/sorting
c)Damage by rodents
d)Packing the produce
e)Temporary storage
f)Fungal contamination
g)Physical damage during transportation (pressed/pock
marked)
h)Economic loss due to partial damage
0.09
0.27
0.08
0.98
0.04
2.08
1.58
1.81
0.05
0.22
0.08
0.76
0.03
1.85
1.39
1.66
0.18
0.47
0.12
0.21
-
0.19
1.12
1.14
0.14
0.33
0.13
0.18
0.01
0.14
0.08
1.02
0.14
0.59
0.72
0.22
0.14
1.37
1.53
1.39
0.11
0.47
0.68
0.24
0.11
1.18
1.34
1.19
3. Losses during marketing
a)Damage during handling
b)Sorted out/discarded
0.3
3.96
0.22
3.58
0.11
6.22
0.07
5.01
0.17
3.84
0.17
3.15
Total loss 22.23 17.05 29.99 23.46 25.35 21.65

20. Alleviating Poverty and Malnutrition in Agrobiodiversity Hotspots
Conclusion
• Promotion of collective action
• Transfer of technology to communities
• Decrease in food losses by 47.25%, 33.72% and 19.84% on an
average in grains, vegetables and fruits respectively
Acknowledgement
• Department for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
(DFATD), Canada
• International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada

21. Alleviating Poverty and Malnutrition in Agrobiodiversity Hotspots
Thank you