The Postharvest Education Foundation

08/01/2026

Greetings all, I have retired from my businesses and PEF, so I will not be spending much time on Facebook. I still have a discussion group for postharvest training and consulting on LinkedIn if ever you need to reach me.

Login to LinkedIn to keep in touch with people you know, share ideas, and build your career.

07/27/2026

You are invited to participate in the next EvalforEarth webinar: Bridging Policy and Practice: Evaluating Postharvest Loss Interventions: Methods, Frameworks, and Insights from Africa and Asia
Date: Friday, 31 July 2026
Time: 4:00–5:00 PM (Rome Time, GMT+2)

https://www.evalforearth.org/webinars/bridging-policy-and-practice-evaluating-postharvest-loss-interventions-methods-frameworks

Register: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/PdlgRUhSS7uJ93XNDVko7Q



Vijay Yadav Parmar Chamisa

07/06/2026

After 15 years of training over 150 postharvest specialists across 30 countries, PEF has formally dissolved as a charity - having fully achieved its mission. Yet its legacy endures: the website (www.postharvest.org) remains a free resource hub, while Lisa Kitinoja (Founder), Vijay Yadav and volunteer team continues to mentor through LinkedIn and the Postharvest Training discussion group. This milestone is beautifully complemented by the 2026 ASHS Hall of Fame induction of Dr. Adel A. Kader, a founding mentor whose work has shaped the field.

We are excited to announce that the 39th edition of the PEF Newsletter, with recent publications, opportunities for collaboration, and upcoming events shaping the future of food systems. The Global Report on Food Crises 2026 reminds us why our work matters more than ever, yet innovations in cold chains, food donation policy, and circular food systems offer real hope.

All of PEF’s free e‑learning programmes remain open, so whether you're a trainer, researcher, or practitioner, dive in, connect, and help turn these insights into lasting change. 🌱

Download July 2026 Newsletter:https://postharvest.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/6July26_PEF_Newsletter.pdf

06/12/2026

Sharing some good news. Thank you, Dr. Kader, for all your mentoring and support for PEF in the early years.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1D7LPiV82F/

ASHS Hall of Fame
Dr. Adel Kader, one of the most widely known and recognized scientists worldwide in the field of postharvest biology and technology, has been named to the ASHS Hall of Fame.

04/28/2026

🌍 Celebrating Over a Decade of Postharvest Learning & Impact 🌱

The Postharvest Education Foundation (PEF) Global E-learning Programs have been running successfully for more than 10 years, empowering 180+ graduates worldwide. Many of our top performers have gone on to win awards, grants, and scholarships, while others now serve as postharvest researchers, extension officers, consultants, and trainers.

We are proud to release the 4th Edition of the PEF Postharvest E-learning Manual (2025) - a free, open-access resource featuring 14 self-managed assignments. These cover everything from identifying causes of postharvest losses, conducting commodity systems assessments, and designing cost-effective demonstrations, to establishing Postharvest Training & Services Centers (PTSCs) and food rescue initiatives.

📖 The manual is designed for extension workers, trainers, consultants, and all those working with smallholder farmers, traders, processors, and marketers of perishable crops. Each assignment includes readings, practical activities, and self-exams, with free access to supporting materials, videos, and networking links.

✨ PEF will continue to share resources, offer mentorship, and remain a platform for networking among postharvest specialists worldwide. Together, we are building capacity, reducing food losses, and advancing sustainable food systems.

https://postharvest.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/PEF_E_Learning_Manual_2025.pdf

04/16/2026

What happens after “mission accomplished” for a 15 year old non-profit organization?

Dr. Lisa Kitinoja, Founder, The Postharvest Education Foundation (PEF) April 2026

Many food rescue and food loss/waste focused organizations have been launched since the early days when PEF announced our mission in 2011. Our original purpose was to create a charity organization to train a cadre of young professionals to take on this work, and equip them with the resources, advice and tools they needed to reduce postharvest losses in their communities. We provided postharvest training of trainers via workshops, short courses, e-learning programs, written books and manuals, and by conducting joint research, extension programs and field work in Africa and South Asia. During the covid years when travel was restricted, we provided small grants to enable postharvest trainers in Africa and South Asia to provide local training programs for farmers, traders, processors and marketers. Later we added fundraising efforts to support organizations involved in food rescue and distribution in the USA.
Success could mean that an organization shifts its focus and develops a new mission. More than a dozen board members have contributed to this success, giving their time, attention, skills and money to support PEF’s work. The PEF board of directors discussed a change of focus as a possibility, but once the founder and older board members retired, it became difficult to find enough new board members with free time and financial resources to keep PEF active and engaged.
Success for us means that The Postharvest Education Foundation has successfully completed our mission, having trained more than 150 postharvest specialists and trainers who are active in 30 countries. Success allows us to mindfully close our doors and pass along our training materials, resources and advice to the many individuals, businesses, non-profits and researchers who work to reduce food losses in the global community. The board of directors has dissolved the charity organization as of December 2025, but we will be keeping the https://postharvest.org website operational for sharing free resources and mentoring. I will remain active on LinkedIn and will continue to administer our Postharvest Training and International Consulting discussion group. https://www.linkedin.com/groups/3770124/