Guatemala
In the Western Highlands, the focus area for the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Prevention of Post-Harvest Loss (PHL) in Guatemala, most maize is produced by smallholder farmers who, in addition to farming, require wage-earning work elsewhere to achieve subsistence. Saving more maize from PHL will allow for more availability of maize to smallholder families and more of the minimal crop production areas to be available for higher value horticultural crops for possible improved income, while not risking loss of maize for sustenance.
Producing a consistently larger quantity and quality of maize in the Western Highlands creates the potential to establish village-level private or public sector Post-Harvest Service Centers with the key goal to improve food quality, reduce PHL, establish Warehouse Receipt Systems for banking and marketing commodities, and connect smallholder farmers to the in-country value chain.