Sustainable Post-Harvest and Value Addition Practices in Agriculture: A Review
Anil Kumar
Department of Agronomy, School of Agriculture, Eklavya University Damoh, Madhya Pradesh-470661, India.
Chiragbhai Sureshbhai Prajapati *
Dairy Engineering Division, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana-132001, India.
Khan Chand
Department of Agricultural Engineering, School of Agricultural Sciences, Nagaland University, Medziphema Campus-797106, Distt: Chumukedima, Nagaland, India.
Poonam Abrol
Krishi Vigyan Kendra Jammu, R S Pura SKUAST-Jammu, India.
Gurwinder Singh
Department of Agronomy, School of Agricultural Sciences, Baddi University of Emerging Sciences and Technology, Solan -173205, India.
Sneh Gangwar
Department of Geography, Indraprastha College for Women, University of Delhi, India.
Sudha Darbha
Near NIT Garden, Nagpur (MS) – 440022, India.
Rita Fredericks
Precision Grow (A Unit of Tech Visit IT Pvt Ltd), India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Post-harvest losses remain a principal problem in agriculture, resulting in serious economic and food security issues. Sustainable post-harvest handling and value addition measures can provide efficient means of reducing losses, improving product shelf life, and increasing farmers' incomes. This review discusses some principal sustainable practices in harvesting, handling, storage, transport, processing, and packaging of agricultural produce. Focus is given to environmentally friendly, affordable, and scalable technologies that minimize waste and impart economic value to primary products. Policy interventions, capacity building, and market linkages required for encouraging adoption among smallholder farmers are also covered in the paper. Finally, sustainable post-harvest and value addition strategies are critical for ensuring food security, minimizing environmental footprint, and encouraging inclusive agricultural development.
Keywords: Post-harvest management, value addition, sustainable agriculture, food loss, storage, processing, agro-economy