In collaboration with Associate Professor of Cooperative Extension and Co-Director Dr. Irwin Donis-Gonzalez from the UC Postharvest Research and Extension Center, Program Officer Kristen Becker and Associate Director Archie Jarman from the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture will implement a project, "Cultivating Sustainability: A Comprehensive Drying Initiative to Combat Postharvest Losses in Guatemala." 

The project was awarded through the University of California, Davis’ Global Affairs Advancing United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) activity, and aims to address the significant postharvest losses in horticultural crops in Guatemala through the implementation of the Dry Chain – drying product to safe dryness levels and storing the product dry. 

The project involves a collaborative effort between the University of California, Davis, and two universities in Guatemala, Universidad del Valle and Rafael Landivar University. It includes a multi-day workshop focusing on biophysical aspects of drying, entrepreneurial training, and responsible innovation. This workshop will incorporate diverse stakeholders, including women-led growers associations, small-scale input suppliers, researchers, and extensionists. By integrating principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as environmental and social sustainability, the project aims to empower local communities while contributing to the UN SDGs of Zero Hunger and Responsible Consumption and Production.

For more on the grant awards, visit the Global Affairs web announcement here.