Technology · Agri-food systems / Agri-tech & precision

Post-harvest loss reduction (hermetic storage and handling)

Science-based interventions across the post-harvest chain, led in smallholder settings by low-cost hermetic storage plus training, digital data and micro-finance — WFP reports over a million people reached and cost recovered within one harvest.

Maturity 8/9 Risk: low Post-harvest & processing CN verified 2026-10-16 · 4 Sources

1 · What it gives

Post-harvest loss-reduction biotechnology uses science-based interventions to cut losses in post-harvest operations across crops. In smallholder settings it replaces traditional storage with hermetic storage equipment. WFP reported in July 2024 that its post-harvest programme had reached over 1,000,000 people in five countries, and that farmers recover the cost of the new storage devices within one harvest.

2 · What it replaces 6

D2	Apple and pear storage without diphenylamine (DPA) and post-harvest fungicide drenches — dynamic controlled atmosphere (DCA), hot-water dipping, pre-harvest biocontrol and orchard sanitation Replaces: Diphenylamine (DPA) drenches against superficial scald; post-harvest fungicide drenches (thiabendazole, fludioxonil, pyrimethanil, …	EAC
D0	Post-harvest decay control of citrus, pome, stone and tropical fruit with antagonistic yeasts (Metschnikowia, Candida, Aureobasidium), hot-water treatment and chitosan coatings — instead of synthetic post-harvest fungicides Replaces: Imazalil, thiabendazole, ortho-phenylphenol (OPP/SOPP), pyrimethanil, fludioxonil, prochloraz (banana, mango, citrus), carbendazim/benomyl …	PEST
D1	Potato sprout suppression in storage with spearmint oil (carvone), orange oil, ethylene and cold storage — instead of chlorpropham (CIPC) Replaces: Chlorpropham (CIPC) thermal fogging in potato stores; maleic hydrazide (pre-harvest, partly)	PEST
D1	Manure methane, ammonia and odour cut by anaerobic digestion with covered storage, low-protein diets balanced with fermentation amino acids, and biological air treatment of livestock houses — instead of open lagoons, sulfuric-acid slurry acidification and masking agents Replaces: Open anaerobic lagoons and uncovered slurry stores; slurry acidification with concentrated sulfuric acid; chemical masking/neutralizing …	SERV
D1	Lower-toxicity textile dyeing and dye-effluent treatment with biological methods — bio-based indigo reduction and enzymatic indigo routes, microbial pigments, and biological decolorization of dye effluent — instead of sodium dithionite reduction, aniline-derived synthetic indigo and untreated/chemically treated dye effluent Replaces: Sodium dithionite (hydrosulfite) for indigo vat reduction, synthetic indigo made from aniline (traces of aniline in dyed denim), some azo …	CHEM
D1	Recovered phosphorus (struvite and other recovered phosphates from biological wastewater and digester streams) instead of fertilizer made from cadmium-bearing phosphate rock Replaces: A share of DAP/MAP/superphosphate made from mined phosphate rock; chemical P-removal with iron and aluminium salts at treatment plants …	AGROCHEM

3 · How to implement 4 steps

1
Supply hermetic storage
Provide low-cost, locally produced hermetic storage equipment to smallholders.
2
Train farmers
Train farmers in improved post-harvest handling and correct use of the equipment.
3
Distribution and extension
Build demand through streamlined equipment distribution and extension services.
4
Data and finance
Add digital data management and micro-financing to integrate farmers into the value chain.

4 · Who delivers

Matched suppliers (matched automatically)

Green-Gro Limited	Ghana	Research / RTO	active
Kenya Animal Genetic Resources Centre	Kenya	Producer	active
Vista Volcanes S.A.	Guatemala	Producer	active
Ultrapan	Mexico	Producer	active
Accra Compost and Recycling Plant Limited	Ghana	Producer	active
Agro-Input Suppliers Limited	Malawi	Distributor	active
Green Lagoon Technology Sdn Bhd	Malaysia	Producer	active
Mahyco	India	Research / RTO	active
Nutritec Uruguay	Uruguay	Services / consulting	active
Papop	Thailand	Services / consulting	active
Rossari Biotech (NSE)	India	Distributor	active
Urja Bio Systems PVT LTD	India	Services / consulting	active

Leading companies and institutes (from the brief)

WFP delivers the programme in Mozambique, Burkina Faso, Tanzania, Zambia and Burundi, with FAO and IRRI named as international and research partners in storage and harvesting technology. Equipment makers and agri-service providers are matched by the portal under Post-harvest & processing.

5 · Rules & route to market

Route into Russia / EAEU: EAC · EAEU accredited bodies / Rosakkreditatsiya
declaration registered within 3 working days (testing extra); certification longer
Information, not legal advice — confirm the procedure for your product. (2026-10-06)

United States

The sources reviewed on 2026-10-16 identified no the US regulator or standard specific to this technology. Treat the route as case-by-case and ask for a check.

European Union

The sources reviewed on 2026-10-16 identified no the EU regulator or standard specific to this technology. Treat the route as case-by-case and ask for a check.

China

China is building a legal framework for food-loss reduction; the sources call for faster implementation of the Food Security Guarantee Law and the Anti-Food-Waste Law.

6 · Money: tenders & grants

Grant	Additional activities for the European Partnership of Agriculture of Data European Commission · EU	Nov 26, 2026 41 days
Grant	Circularity of seafood supply chain European Commission · EU	Sep 21, 2027 340 days
Grant	First in Human and Early Stage Clinical Trials of Novel Investigational Drugs or Neuromodulatory Device-based … National Institutes of Health · United States	Oct 15, 2027 364 days
Grant	Increasing knowledge flows to practice within AKIS via EU thematic knowledge hubs European Commission · EU	May 11, 2027 207 days
Grant	Increasing the resilience of agriculture in water and nutrient-scarce environments through digital innovations European Commission · EU	Sep 23, 2027 342 days

7 · Tech stack & innovations

Main risks from the sources: high initial investment and limited distribution channels, and efficacy that may differ over the six-to-ten-month storage that small-scale producers need.

Sources 4

Pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov — pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov 2026-10-16
Innovation.wfp.org — innovation.wfp.org 2026-10-16
Caas.cn — www.caas.cn 2026-10-16
Nature.com — www.nature.com 2026-10-16