Suitability of different measurement methods

In this article, you’ll reflect on methods to quantify farm-level and territorial-level food loss. This highlights two different data uses. Farm-level data can inform producers and influence farm management, while data aggregated at the local, regional or national level can shape the approaches and decisions of public administrators and policy makers.

Plot-level measurement methods for different commodities

In the previous Step, Berta Vidal talked about the need to adapt the measurement methodology to different realities. This means different crops may require adapted direct measurement techniques. Have a look at the examples in the table below. Collectively they provide some insight into how common methods are adjusted to suit different commodities and contexts.

Vegetables and Fruit. Example. Oranges When. Pre-harvest; harvest How. Establish sample size based on land area and number of trees per plot. Measure fallen oranges and those left unharvested in the trees. Detail. Loss should be categorised according to edibility and marketability
Grains and pulses. Example. Maize When. Harvest How. Estimate ground kernels in sample area (recommend 10m x 5m or 5m x 5m frames) before and after harvesting. Detail. It is important to capture causes of loss e.g. cultivar characteristics, weather conditions and use of machinery (calibration and operator skill).
Roots, tubers and oil crops. Example. Potatoes. When. Pre-harvest; harvest. How. Randomly sample 3 rows of 10-15m length (number of sample frames depends of the percentage of plot to be covered). Detail. Quantification can be resource-intensive as some loss is buried in the soil and must be distinguished from stones.
Aquaculture and fisheries. Example. Mussels. When. Pre-harvest; harvest. How. Mussels are grown in natural conditions on ‘socks’ or ropes. Analyse at least 0.1% of the total, at different distances from the coastline at key stages during the productive cycle. Detail. Loss may occur due to water quality changes, adverse weather conditions, parasites or predators and growth management techniques.
Meat and dairy. Example. Milk. When. Harvest. How. Measure loss at the point of milking e.g. as a result of antibiotic use to control infection. Detail. Cows are usually milked twice a day, and the composition and quantity of the milk fluctuates according to lactation stage. This highlights how the idea of ‘harvest’ can vary by commodity type.

Figure 1: Examples of measurement techniques for different commodities and contexts. Image credits: Oranges © WWF/Santi Donaire, Maize © Università Politecnica delle Marche Potatoes created by Couleur on Pixabay, Mussels © Università Politecnica delle Marche, Cow ©UoR.

Aggregating data at different spatial scales

Good quality plot-level data, using suitable measurement methods, is key to helping farmers take targeted action to reduce food loss. Aggregating these data at the local, regional and national level provides valuable insight into the broader causes, quantities and geographical concentrations of food loss. This will enable public administrators and researchers to make more informed assessments and decisions. It will also make food loss in primary production a more visible component of food loss and waste across the supply chain.

This is why the FOLOU project is developing a food loss Registry. The Registry is an online tool to collect farm-level data and aggregate it at the regional and national level.

Resources

• Schneider, F et al. (2019) Methodological approach for the on-site quantification of food losses in primary production: Austrian and German case studies using the example of potato harvest. Waste Management.