The Post Harvest Project

Congrats to Ghana - Accra is quickly becoming a global destination!

Africa’s Capital of Cool With its thriving contemporary art and nightlife scenes, the Ghanaian city of Accra has become a cosmopolitan hot spot. Here’s what to do there.

Ten Mistakes Business & Non-Profits make in Africa American corporations, NGO’s and non-profits have been racing to Africa over the past few years in a somewhat successful attempt to help the developing world. And at the same time, we all seem to make a lot of the same mistakes. Here are the Top Ten Mistakes that I see all the time.Time is an alien…

Happy Birthday Ghana - 58 Years Today! Hon. Hannah Tetteh
Enjoy the Celebration Friends.

Ghana will lead at UN Climate Change Summit through Minister Hannah Tetteh (www.facebook.com/hannah.tetteh.1042). The Post Harvest Project applauds Minister Tetteh’s leadership in speaking for Ghana’s farmers, fishers and ranchers in addressing climate change.

A consequence of climate change can be crop-growing degradation and possibly a decrease in fish supply. The Post Harvest Project can help through greatly decreasing post harvest food loss. This increase of food availability will help Ghana’s food producers overcome the difficult effects of climate change.

http://www.citifmonline.com/2014/09/17/ghana-to-participate-in-un-climate-change-summit/

Ghana to participate in UN climate change summit | citifmonline Hannah Tetteh The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration will be joining other UN member states in a climate change summit. The Summit will precede the 69th General Debate of the United Nations Assembly to be held in New York. The climate change summit which will be held on September 2…

It's not too early to plan to attend the 2014 https://www.facebook.com/globalwa conference. It's December 3. Congrats to Global Washington. It's one of the strongest organizations in the US on global development.

Global Washington Global Washington promotes & supports the global development sector in Washington state. Find us at www.globalwa.org.

Just an observation from traveling in Impact Countries and developed countries.
Part 3

Employment and more . . .

Unless there is a significant, swift change, Impact Country cities will soon explode with population. The World Bank, in a 2009 report stated: "By 2050, two-thirds of the world's population will live in cities, and the greatest growth in urban populations will take place in the least developed countries."

The June 2014 edition of Fortune (Africa's Big Apple, p. 92) adds: "By 2050, Africa's city dwellers will more than triple, from about 400 million to 1.2 billion - one of the faster urbanizations in human history."

The World Bank warns: "This presents many governments with considerable challenges related to urban governance and the provision of services and opportunities to a burgeoning urban population."

Why are cities in Impact Countries growing too rapidly? It's not just the birth rate - it's migration to cities by people looking for opportunities and services. If you've ever been to a city in an Impact Country it is painfully obvious that the cities cannot handle the population now. Hard working people line the streets trying to sell anything. It is clear they are not faring well.

Interestingly, in The Guardian, one of London's leading publications, an answer was posed, one that the Post Harvest Project has touted from the beginning. From the Global Professionals Development Network, June 4, 2013, "Agriculture employs most of Africa's young people and is likely to continue to do so in the future. But to meet the aspirations of millions who want rewarding work, the continent's agricultural sector will have to change markedly. Today's farming by machete and hand hoe does not appeal to young Africans or to policymakers. . . Yet for a generation of young people entering adulthood, agriculture offers the best opportunity to move out of poverty and build satisfying lives."

It only makes common sense, and bears repeating. Most of the people in Impact Countries are farmers, fishermen or fishmongers. Most of them are very poor. But they're not poor because they don't work hard enough. They are poor because there is huge lack of agricultural infrastructure. They lose 50% or more of their harvest and catch. It is no wonder that young people are abandoning food production and moving to the cities for just about any opportunity.

Impact Countries must build agriculture infrastructure so that the vast majority of people employed will have sustainable incomes. Otherwise, the countries will face a young population that eschews farming in favor of the bright lights of cities. But the cities cannot keep up with the growth now. How will they do when the population triples?

Another very difficult truth must be faced. When too many people live in a confined area, and there is not enough jobs or food, where do people turn? Historically, violence breaks out.

Impact Countries can show they understand farmers, fishers and ranchers, and that they care for their present and future by investing in agricultural infrastructure now. Protect the environment at the same time, and rural incomes will increase while the country sustains itself for future generations. Moreover, this investment will help bring its people's work onto the global market, while significantly diminishing hunger at home.

It takes a comprehensive approach to make the agricultural life appealing again. The Post Harvest Project provides such a comprehensive solution. If farmers, fishers and ranchers were able to dramatically reduce heir post harvest losses; could feed their families and have more to provide to the local, national and international markets, everybody benefits. It is basic economics.

Impact Countries must take action now, or face problems in the very near future that no one can afford.

Just an observation from traveling in Impact Countries and developed countries. . . Part 2:

The importance of a country's leadership building infrastructure cannot be understated. It is the lack of infrastructure that differentiates developed countries from Impact Countries.

Impact Countries must include the food supply chain as infrastructure. Otherwise, the people will remain poor and hungry.

In order to build infrastructure, a country must have tax revenues from expenditures of all economic classes of people. In Impact Countries, most of the people live below or near poverty. In many cases, people live in extreme poverty.

Most of the jobs in these countries are in food production, even if that production is just for himself or his/her family, i.e. Subsistence farming. These farmers suffer tremendous post harvest food loss. If a farmer reduces post harvest food loss, there is more for the family to eat and more to sell.

That creates disposable income with which to create tax revenues for infrastructure building. If an Impact Country improves the infrastructure of the food supply chain, then more money is available for roads, plumbing and electricity. Moreover, more money is available to build and equip schools and employ teachers. Through education, the vicious cycle of poverty is stopped.

But it all starts with reducing post harvest food loss.

The infrastructure needed for farmers, fishers and ranchers includes better fertilizer that enhances the environment, rather than destroys it; a cold chain that keeps fish, meat, poultry and produce fresh while getting to market; an environmentally sound way to commercially use waste product of food; and an adherence to standards that supports food producers reaching global markets.

So the question for leaders of Impact Countries remains: are you ready to make it a priority to help your people by funding agricultural infrastructure?

Coming up in Part 3: "Reimagining Impact" is the theme of CGI 2014. What should be the focused impact? - Stan Emert

Just an observation from traveling in Impact Countries and developed countries. . . Part 1:

The difference in Impact Countries and developed countries is infrastructure. Roads, plumbing, electricity, and public services are integral to people making a living and generally having better lives.

The way to pay for infrastructure is to have an economy where people at all levels of society earn enough to support their families. This enables the entire society to contribute to paying for infrastructure needs. Then, other elements of society can quickly develop, such as education and health care.

Agriculture employs the most people in Impact Countries by a wide margin. But these people are among the poorest on Earth. Yet, post harvest food loss is massive in Impact Countries. The food supply chain - the infrastructure of getting food from farm to table - is several hundred years behind in Impact Countries. As a result, food loss is often over 50%; people don't get enough protein because harvested protein food often has higher post harvest loss rates than other crops; and incomes from food production are depressed.

The key, then, is to help improve the food supply chain infrastructure - reducing post harvest food loss - to help societies and people thrive. This can happen with a focus on reducing food loss, which, in turn, creates more income. This enables farmer families, the vast majority of people in Impact Countries, to contribute more to the economy.

So much depends on Impact Country leadership. Are the country's leaders ready to help build an economy for all the people? If so, there will be more tax revenue. Are the country's leaders ready to commit funds now to improve infrastructure where most of the people will benefit? Are the country's leaders ready to put the extra revenues from investing in reducing post harvest loss into infrastructure?

It's really not that hard. Focus on where most the people are by reducing post harvest food loss; which improves incomes; which provides more public revenues; which enables the country to help it's entire population improve. - Stan Emert

There is a great debate about needing to raise global food prices through subsidies. If Impact Countries want to help their people, they will enable proven, appropriate technologies to increase effective yields (i.e. reduce the loss of food before it even gets to the table). This includes better, environmentally safe fertilizers, soil treatments, cold chain enhancements and other technologies that move toward a zero-waste food supply chain. Food security and sustainability begins with helping farmers not lose so much food due to a poor food supply chain.

Congratulations Ethiopia! They held a very impressive business and investment forum in Los Angeles that The Post Harvest Project (TPHP) attended at the invitation of the Ethiopian Embassy.

Stan Emert. TPHP executive director: “The Ethiopian ministers headlined the breakout sessions and were quite candid about their needs and ability to assist in improving the quality of lives of their people. It is clear that improving capacity in agriculture is at the top of the list.”

Of particular note was a panel discussion among business people from the US, Europe and the Middle East who are already working in Ethiopia. Their projects ranged from over $2 billion down to $50,000 USD. Each one of them started by complimenting the trustworthiness and integrity of the Ethiopian government from top to bottom. This was echoed in private conversations.

Congratulations, again, to Ethiopia for establishing a business environment geared to help the people of their nation.

Post Harvest Project on the front page!

http://www.thebftonline.com/content/fish-waste-turn-out-tonnes-organic-fertiliser

Fish waste to turn out tonnes of organic fertiliser | Business & Financial Times Online An estimated 150,000 tonnes of fish waste in the country that rots in the sun every year is to be turned into 100 percent organic fertiliser by a venture known as the Post Harvest Project. Fish heads, bones, fins, scales, tails, gut-waste and fish oils make up a massive amount of waste, most of whic…

Thank you to Honorable Minister Hanna Tetteh for graciously accepting our meeting request on such short notice. We look forward to working with Minister Tetteh and the GOG as we change agriculture in Ghana forever.