Advanced Post-Harvest Technology Centre

Global food production must increase by half of current levels, before 2050, to meet increasing demand.Such a huge increase in production will put extreme pressures on the environment which, together withclimate change, threatens the sustainability of the world's food systems. One method for reducing thepressure on food production is to decrease food wastage. Approximately one third of global food produced for human consumption is wasted, an amount that could feed an additional 1.35 billion people annually. One fifth of all food produced in Canada is avoidably lost or wasted during harvesting, packing, storing,handling, transporting, processing and consuming. The application of technology to crops post-harvest cansignificantly reduce food loss and wastage. The goal of the proposed research program is to address this gap,in partnership with Southern Albertan farmers, agri-food businesses and the feed industry. This CFI investment will create the state-of-the-art Lethbridge College Advanced Post-Harvest Technology Centre, which will focus on applied research and development of innovative, low-cost, post-harvest engineering solutions designed to significantly lessen post-harvest losses of root crops, tubers, vegetables and grains, improving product quality, safety and marketability. Research outcomes will also improve profitability and sustainability of SouthernAlberta farmers, agri-food production and processing companies and the feed industry.