Food security remains a pressing global concern, particularly in regions prone to high postharvest losses due to inadequate storage, inefficient handling, and spoilage. The growing impacts of climate change, reliance on plastics, and widespread use of synthetic fungicides pose further challenges to sustainable food systems. These issues highlight the urgent need for innovative, eco-friendly, and scalable solutions to preserve the quality and nutritional value of fruits and vegetables.
Objectives
Nutritional security and poverty remain significant challenges in many African countries, where the underutilization of Horticultural, Indigenous, and Medicinal (HIM) food crops and agro-waste exacerbates food insecurity and economic instability. Despite the diversity and richness of HIM resources, low processing capacity often results in wastage and missed opportunities for value addition. Furthermore, agro-waste from these crops contributes to environmental issues, such as pollution and the proliferation of disease vectors. These challenges underscore the urgent need for innovative and sustainable solutions to effectively process and valorize HIM crops and their byproducts.
Objectives
Modern postharvest and agroprocessing systems face a variety of challenges, including the need for enhanced food safety, real-time monitoring, and non-destructive testing methods. Issues such as the lack of traceability along supply chains, time-consuming and labour-intensive operations, and inconsistent product quality hinder the efficiency and sustainability of the food systems. Additionally, there is an increasing demand for predictive interventions to optimize operations, resource conservation, and improved market accessibility for fresh produce. Addressing these challenges requires innovative modeling tools to improve decision-making, streamline processes, and ensure equitable benefits across value chains.
Objectives
