WFP’s Zero Food Loss Initiative: Reaching 200 Million Farmers by 2030

Here’s an absolutely devastating fact: Africa’s small-scale farmers lose up to 40% of all the food they harvest.

Why? Because of entirely preventable reasons, like insects, rats and mold. These post-harvest losses have a greater negative impact on Africa than conflict, HIV and malaria – combined.

Brett Rierson, the head of the United Nations World Food Programme’s (WFP) Global Post-Harvest Knowledge & Operations Center, is trying to change that with big, blue plastic silos.  The locally-manufactured U.N. World Food Programme silos can hold up to 925 pounds of dried beans, nuts or corn, and they are upending traditional farming for thousands of families.

Participants are trained on how to safely dry their crops and then store them in the air-tight containers. It’s a simple solution, and one that has dramatically improved their livelihoods, health and food security.

Watch below to learn more about this simple technology that’s saving lives and communities.