The Postharvest Institute for Perishables (PIP) was founded in 1980 at the University of Idaho, College of Agriculture in response to a growing concern about the high levels of food losses and market inefficiencies between harvest and consumption in developing countries and later, countries of the former Soviet Union.
PIP cooperates with other international donor groups and the agribusiness sector in its efforts to reduce postharvest losses of perishable commodities and improve marketing systems.
The University of Idaho, College of Agriculture is a Land Grant Institution with some 250 faculty members having skills and technical capabilities in many aspects of food systems development. PIP has ready access to this institutionalized reservoir of trained specialists.
PIP is available to offer technical assistance or training by contract.
1. Increase income generation of small farmers and agribusinesses by improving the efficiency of marketing systems and reducing loses of food commodities in the marketing chain.
2. Improve the nutritional status of people in developing countries by increasing the availability of food through the reduction of postharvest losses.
3. Reduce costs and improve quality of perishable commodities by improving/modifying postharvest handling, transportation, storage, packaging, and marketing systems.
4. Assist in the development/improvement of processing and other agrindustries associated with perishables.
5. Increase food supplies without increasing production areas, thereby reducing pressure to open marginal and fragile lands for agriculture.
PIP responds to requests for assistance relating to the entire postharvest handling and marketing system, including technical assistance, training, adaptive research programs, and marketing analyses. PIP's home office staff has over 50 years of combined experience in designing, implementing and backstopping international agricultural development projects.
PIP has developed and published the Commodity Systems Assessment Methodology (CSAM), a training tool designed to assist agricultural professionals to pinpoint food systems problems and formulate solutions. It relies heavily on in-country expertise to identify system problems and solutions. PIP specialists train developing country agricultural personnel to organize and implement assessments.
The CSAM manual is available in English, Spanish, and French for training and field use.
USAID initiated the Collaborative Agribusiness Support Project to serve a wide range of technical assistance, training, and research needs of its agricultural projects around the world. The CASP member centers of excellence: PIP/University of Idaho; Food and Feed Grains Institute/Kansas State University (FFGI), Seed Technology Laboratory/Mississippi State University STL), and International Soybean (INTSOY)/University of Illinois, bring together considerable expertise in postharvest handling of perishable food commodities, grains, soybeans, legumes, and seed production/storage to address a wide range of technical assistance and training needs.
Postharvest Institute for Perishables
University of Idaho
129 W, Third St.
Moscow, Idaho 83843 U.S.A.
Tel: 208-885-3576
Fax: 208-885-3582
Here's a direct link to the CASP Management
Entity.
If you would like to send us
e-mail, our address is uipip@uidaho.edu.
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