The Postharvest Education Foundation
Founder: Dr. Lisa Kitinoja

Visiting an okra farm in Senegal - 1997

Utilizing improved postharvest practices often results in reduced food losses, improved overall quality and food safety, and higher profits for growers and marketers. But how can we teach people to use the practices that will best serve their needs?

Send an email to postharvest@postharvest.org or visit http://postharvest.tumblr.com and feel free to ask for assistance!

Training Assistance

Our Directors and staff are available online or via e-mail to serve as mentors or advisors to young professionals, extension workers, farm advisors, and private consultants around the world who are involved in activities related to postharvest handling, packaging, cooling, shipping and storage of fresh fruits and vegetables.

The Postharvest Education Foundation is currently working to assist extension workers, scientists, postharvest professionals and graduate students in many countries around the world gain knowledge, skills  and experience that will assist them to help their local populations to reduce postharvest losses and food waste.  Dr. Lisa Kitinoja also currently works as a senior technical advisor with The World Food Logistics Organization (WFLO) on a HORT CRSP funded project in Sub-Saharan Africa. HORT CRSP Pilot project in East Africa.

How to learn more about the Foundation

Visit our About Us page to read more about our Mission, Board of Directors and Founder. You can find the link at the left side of the homepage.

While donations are always appreciated, as a relatively new Foundation, our tax exempt status is not yet fully established in all the states of the USA, so you will not be able to claim a tax deduction if you make a donation in cash or in kind.  We have been registered in Oregon since 2011, so we can take donations from Oregon residents, and from those in a few states where there are no formal registrations required (Delaware, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont and Wyoming).  We have applied for registration for 2012 in Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey and New York, and for exemptions in several other states, so we will update our status as these applications are processed.   An application for 501(c)(3) status is pending with the IRS and we have been informed that the review and decision can take another year.

Training in postharvest technology aims to reduce losses by helping farmers and handlers learn how changing simple practices, such as using better quality packages or not over-loading crates, can protect produce while improving market value and incomes.

Food waste is more a problem in industrialized countries, most often caused by both retailers and consumers throwing perfectly edible foodstuffs into the trash. Per capita waste by consumers is between 95-115 kg a year in Europe and North America, while consumers in sub-Saharan Africa and South and Southeast Asia each throw away only 6-11 kg a year." http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/74192/icode/

1. a site for extensionists to meet with growers and others to provide training on improved handling, packing, cooling, storage and processing practices
2. a location with permanent demonstrations for observing small-scale practices (where local private companies can explain and demonstrate their goods and services related to postharvest handling)
3. a shop with postharvest tools and supplies, packages, and other goods that can be purchased at reasonable prices
4. a place where people can come to ask questions or get advice on how to use improved postharvest practices, costs/benefits and marketing options
5. a place where growers or traders can pay a small fee for services such as having their produce cooled and/or stored for a few days before marketing, leasing a small insulated transport vehicle, or using a solar dryer to produce dried fruit or vegetable snack products, etc.

 What is the cost?

There is no charge for mentoring services or participation in our online discussions. Visit the Foundation's blog (http://postharvest.tumblr.com/) and we will do our best to answer your question or point you in the right direction. Many training materials are available via as links or downloads from this website, or can be sent via e-mail at no charge. A CDRom packed full of practical training materials is available at a small fee (to cover the cost of copying, postage and packaging materials).

TRAINING IN POSTHARVEST TECHNOLOGY