REDUCING WASTE IN FRUIT PRODUCTION.

REDUCING WASTE IN FRUIT PRODUCTION.Kenyan farmers and businesses are improving the mango value chain through sustainable post-harvest handling practices and technologies.According to government estimates, as much as 50 percent of Kenya’s harvested fruit goes to waste. Post-harvest loss means a significant loss of income for smallholder farmers like John Musomba, who grows mango on a 2-acre farm in Nziu, Kenya. Even when his trees are healthy and producing succulent green mangoes, the value of his precious harvest can plummet for a variety of reasons. Fruit flies and other pests – on the rise in Kenya due to climate change – can destroy a large part of the harvest. Bruised fruit that hits the ground when harvested incorrectly or gets damaged through poor transportation will not sell well. And heat can be a great enemy for John’s fruit, leading to rapid deterioration after harvest. TechnoServe and the Rockefeller Initiative have teamed up on the YieldWise Initiative to mitigate these factors and improve incomes for mango farmers in four regions of Kenya.more