Three decades have elapsed since the last major conference geared toward soliciting developmental support for the post-production sector. The focus then was on the reduction of post-harvest losses. Considerable growth in the sector, as well as changes in market demands and trade regulations point to the increasingly important dimension of produce and product quality, if developing countries are to gain advantages from the safety, security and potential trade benefits of a stable food supply. By and large, this growth and change is very poorly supported by developmental policies and strategies, and technical capacity within the sector remains very weak.
In recognition of these deficiencies in policies, strategies, and technical and financial inputs to address the fundamental and growing concerns of the post-harvest sector, the Agro-Industries and Post-Harvest Management Service of FAO (FAO/AGSI) with the endorsement of Ph-Action1, embarked upon launching an international initiative geared toward facilitating development within the post-harvest sector of developing countries. This initiative will be implemented in two-phases:
¿ Phase 1- Developing a global perspective of the post-harvest sector, through the planning and implementation of five co-ordinated technical regional workshops.
¿ Phase 2- Conducting a five-day International Technical Consultation on Post-Harvest, with the objective of launching a Global Initiative on Post-Harvest Technology (GIPhT).