POSTHARVEST RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN DC
PH research contributes to food security, safety and health in several ways. Improved storage
technologies reduce PH food losses, and thus increase the amount of food available for consumption.
PH research can also contribute to sustainability by finding alternatives to chemicals which have
polluting effects on the environment, and are hazardous to human health. Thus alternative pest
control mechanisms reduce the need for pesticides, which reduces pollution, minimizes accidents with
pollutants, and also lowers pesticide residues in food consumed by humans.
While there is a large body of literature on the impact of production research, studies on the impact of
post-production research are still very few and not done using universally-accepted methods. PH
research might well have an impact comparable or even superior to that of production research, yet it
might well be lacking the nature of international public good. While research on the improvement of
agricultural production has received considerable attention and funding, until recently PH activities
have not attracted much attention from international research organizations. However, there is an
emerging consensus on the critical role that PH systems can play in meeting the overall goals of food
security, poverty alleviation and sustainable agriculture particularly in DC.