Evaluating causes of food losses and willingness to accept the concept of upcycling as a mitigation strategy among smallholder farmers in Southeastern Nigeria

This study examines the causes of food losses among smallholder farmers in Southeastern Nigeria and assesses their willingness to adopt upcycling as a mitigation strategy. Using quantitative data from 120 farmers across five states, the analysis identifies inadequate government support, knowledge gaps, social unrest, poor infrastructure, and inadequate storage as key factors. Ordinal logistic regression reveals that education level and farm size significantly influence receptiveness to upcycling. More educated farmers and those with larger farms show greater interest in training on food loss recovery technologies, highlighting opportunities for targeted policy interventions. The findings underscore the need for a multidisciplinary approach involving government, industry, and local communities to enhance food security.