Up to 50 percent of the food produced in sub-Saharan Africa is lost after the harvest. This happens in part because of poor handling and inefficient processing that results in spoilage or damage before ever reaching a market or a table.

Smallholder farmers, defined as those with under twenty acres of land, are among the most vulnerable to hunger, poverty and climate change. These farms contribute upwards of 90 percent of the food consumed in their countries yet they lack access to newer, more efficient technologies or other postharvest support services. They continue to rely on manual methods and see little return on what they grow, minimizing any opportunities for income-generating activities or distribution of food products to consumers beyond their villages. This cycle contributes to the persistent poverty and hunger of their communities.