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Postharvest assessment methodology (PHAM)

The PHAM methodology allows you to generate a diagnosis of FLW related issues in a country, region or value chain.

The methodology allows you to assess the required resources and benefits of specific FLW interventions and looks into the necessary and enabling conditions to make an intervention successful.

What type of insights does the methodology generate?

Insights into feasible and cost-effective FLW reducing interventions and their social, economic and environmental impacts on the food system.
Insights into the optimal target and design of effective FLW reducing interventions for specific societal objectives (for example: improving food security or reducing GHG emissions).
Comparison of the feasibility and potential impact of different FLW reducing interventions and related investments.

What type of questions does the methodology help respond?

What type of FLW intervention will maximize the impact and effectiveness of my investments?
Are the available resources (in a specific area) and the benefits for the target group sufficient to warrant an investment in FLW reduction and mitigation?
What are the conditions for the FLW reduction intervention to generate a positive return on investment for those stakeholders who will bear the initial investment costs?
What is the potential impact of the proposed FLW reduction intervention on the market price of a specific commodity and how might consumers and producers respond to these price changes?

What does the tool/approach do that can help you design effective loss reducing interventions?

The methodology may be used for different purposes, and this needs to be clarified at the start with the client:

To asses the feasibility of a concrete policy intervention idea, based on a specific product and/or region
To asses the current situation as a basis for a predifined problem to be addressed
To asses the current situation to determine points of interest for future proactive policy development.

How does this tool work?

The Methodology assures a thorough assessment of all aspects of food systems, based on the main objective (and secondary objectives) of an intervention in a country or region. It includes alternatives, bottlenecks, risks and impact. Key Success- and Failure Factors of previous interventions and distinguishes between interests and motives of chain actors and policy makers. It includes a diagnostic of rationale for an intervention (available resources and benefits) on the one hand and enabling environment needed for the success of an intervention, on the other hand.

Click here for a detailed description of the methodology

At what stage can the tool be applied?

Pre-intervention stage

Case example: application of the PHAM methodology

Improving the snow pea export sector in Guatemala in an Energy efficient way

Snow peas are a source of income for over 20.000 smallholders in Guatemala who grow the high-income and labour intensive crop for the export market.

Farmers growing snow peas are scattered in remote areas with suboptimal access to roads and other productive infrastructure. Current losses are estimated to reach over 30% between harvest and dispatch to international transit.

Exportable snow peas require fast cooling to achieve sufficient shelf life that enables the conditions for long transit. The PHAM methodology was utilized to identify effective interventions with the goal to reduce losses, improve smallholder income and improve the energy efficiency of the sector.

Do you have questions about using this tool?

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