Akorn Technology Focus on Stemming Post Harvest Losses in Global South Takes Company to FoodTech Challenge – Perishable News

Akorn Technology’s Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals through Post-Harvest Innovation

Executive Summary

Akorn Technology, Inc., a California-based innovator, has been selected as a finalist for the 2025 FoodTech Challenge for its sustainable post-harvest solutions. The company’s plant-based edible coatings address critical global challenges, directly contributing to several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This report outlines Akorn’s technological approach and its alignment with key SDGs, including Zero Hunger (SDG 2), No Poverty (SDG 1), Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8), and Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12).

Addressing Food Security and Reducing Waste (SDG 2 & SDG 12)

A primary challenge to global food security is post-harvest loss, which can eliminate up to 30% of fresh produce. Akorn’s technology provides a direct response to this issue, advancing the targets of SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).

• Targeting Food Loss: The company’s natural solutions have demonstrated the ability to reduce post-harvest losses by up to 50% for crops such as mangoes, stone fruit, and sweet potatoes.
• Enhancing Food Availability: By extending the shelf life of fresh produce, the technology ensures that more nutritious food reaches consumers, improving year-round global access and contributing to food security.
• Sustainable Production: Akorn’s coatings are derived from agricultural byproducts, promoting a circular economy and reducing waste within the production chain, a core principle of SDG 12.
• Eliminating Harmful Substances: The solution offers a chemical-free alternative to traditional post-harvest treatments and reduces reliance on single-use plastics, aligning with consumer demand and tightening global regulations for clean-label food.

Promoting Economic Growth and Reducing Poverty (SDG 1 & SDG 8)

Smallholder farmers in the Global South are disproportionately affected by post-harvest losses and limited market access. Akorn’s technology is designed to improve supply chains and create economic opportunities, supporting SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).

1. Improved Farmer Livelihoods: Reducing crop losses directly translates to increased saleable produce and higher incomes for farmers.
2. Enhanced Market Access: The coatings help produce from the Global South meet the strict quality and safety standards of lucrative export markets (e.g., EU, US, Japan), which often reject goods due to spoilage or excessive chemical residues.
3. Strengthened Supply Chains: By making produce more resilient in regions with poor cold chain infrastructure, the technology improves supply chain efficiency and boosts local and regional economies.
4. Stimulating Investment: Access to global markets encourages investment in improved farming practices and infrastructure, fostering sustainable economic growth.

Fostering Sustainable Innovation and Global Partnerships (SDG 9 & SDG 17)

Akorn’s recognition in the FoodTech Challenge highlights the importance of innovation and collaboration in achieving sustainable development. The initiative aligns with SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

• Groundbreaking Technology: The company’s patented platform represents a significant innovation in agri-food technology, bridging the gap between ineffective natural solutions and chemical-based treatments.
• Scalable Solutions: The FoodTech Challenge, organized by the UAE’s Presidential Court and Tamkeen, provides a global platform to validate and scale technologies for resource-scarce and arid environments.
• Global Collaboration: The competition itself, which drew 1,215 submissions from 113 countries, exemplifies a global partnership focused on sourcing pioneering solutions to advance sustainable food production.
• Adaptable Infrastructure: Akorn’s coatings are compatible with existing packinghouse equipment, enabling easy and cost-competitive adoption worldwide without requiring significant new infrastructure investment.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 2: Zero Hunger

  The article directly addresses food security by focusing on reducing post-harvest food loss. The text states that Akorn’s solutions are “essential to improving farmer livelihoods and ensuring year-round global access to healthy, nutritious produce.” This connects to the goal of ending hunger and ensuring access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food.

• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

  This is a central theme, as the core problem identified is post-harvest loss (“Up to 30% of fresh fruits and vegetables are lost after harvest”). Akorn’s technology aims to create more sustainable food systems by providing “nature-based solutions that make fresh produce last longer without relying on chemicals and single-use plastics,” directly promoting sustainable production patterns.

• SDG 1: No Poverty

  The article highlights that “smallholder farmers in the Global South [are] particularly affected” by post-harvest losses. By reducing these losses, Akorn’s technology aims to improve “farmer livelihoods” and “income growth,” which are crucial for poverty reduction in these communities.

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  The technology is presented as a tool for economic empowerment. The article explains that by helping produce from the Global South meet the quality standards of “lucrative export markets,” Akorn’s technology will “boost economics and quality for Global South markets” and increase “income growth,” contributing to overall economic development.

• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

  The article focuses on a technological innovation (“patented technology,” “groundbreaking nature of our technology platform”) within the agri-food industry. Akorn’s participation in the FoodTech Challenge highlights the role of innovation in solving agricultural problems and improving supply chains, which is a key aspect of this SDG.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 2: Zero Hunger

  1. Target 2.3: By 2030, double the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers. The article explicitly mentions that the solution is designed to help “small growers combat significant post-harvest losses” and is “essential to improving farmer livelihoods” and “income growth” for “smallholder farmers in the Global South.”
  2. Target 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems. Akorn’s mission is to create “practical, nature-based solutions” that are “sustainable for the planet” and move away from “chemical-based solutions,” directly aligning with this target.

• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

  1. Target 12.3: By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses. This is the most direct target addressed. The article states Akorn’s technology is capable of “reducing post-harvest losses by up to 50%.”
  2. Target 12.5: By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse. Akorn’s technology prevents fresh produce from becoming waste. Furthermore, the article mentions that the technology enables the company “to extract valuable compounds from agricultural byproducts,” which constitutes a form of reuse and waste reduction.

• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

  1. Target 9.5: Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries… The entire article is about a “California-based start-up” with “innovative products” and “patented technology” being recognized in a global challenge for its potential to transform the agri-food sector, especially in “resource-scarce regions.”

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator for Target 12.3 (Food Loss Reduction)

  The article provides a direct, quantifiable indicator for measuring progress. It states that current post-harvest losses are “up to 30% of fresh fruits and vegetables” and that Akorn’s technology is “capable of reducing post-harvest losses by up to 50%.” This percentage reduction serves as a clear metric for Indicator 12.3.1 (Global food loss index).

• Implied Indicator for Target 2.3 (Smallholder Income)

  While not providing specific income figures, the article implies an economic indicator. It states that the inability of small producers to access “lucrative export markets” currently “limits income growth.” Therefore, a key indicator of success would be the increased volume and value of produce from smallholder farmers in the Global South being sold in these export markets, leading to improved livelihoods and income, which relates to Indicator 2.3.2 (Average income of small-scale food producers).

• Implied Indicators for Sustainable Production (Targets 2.4 and 12.5)

  The article implies qualitative indicators for sustainability. Progress can be measured by the reduction in the use of “synthetic chemicals” and “single-use plastics” in the post-harvest sector. Another indicator is the volume of “agricultural byproducts” that are repurposed to create Akorn’s natural solutions, tracking the shift towards a more circular and sustainable production model.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: perishablenews.com