Evaluating production systems, post-harvest challenges and losses of common bean farming in Brunca Region

Food loss significantly impacts productivity, sustainability, and food security in common bean production systems. Dedicated research to investigate the contribution of specific smallholder farming practices to these losses in the Latin American context is still limited. This study addresses this gap by examining the practices of 56 common bean farmers from a characteristic production area in Costa Rica. The methodology includes four steps. The first, Screening, provides a preliminary overview of the context using secondary data, expert consultations, and local reports. The second, Survey, applies questionnaires and field observations to deepen understanding of food value chain actors, local conditions, and perceptions. The third, Sampling, derives from load tracking at different stages of the supply chain. Finally, the Synthesis step triangulates previous findings to identify causes and potential solutions to food loss. Results indicate that average productivity in the sample was 0,76 t/ha, which is only half of the global average (1,5 t/ha) due to intercropping, low seed rates and poor post-harvest storage facilities. Losses at harvest and post-harvest stages reached 12–18% of production and were more prevalent on farms relying on manual harvesting and minimal post-harvest infrastructure. These insights underscore the need for interventions to enhance mechanisation, adoption of technologies, and provision of productivity incentives for reducing food loss and food insecurity in common bean production systems. The successful application of the 4 S methodology sets an example for similar cases in the region, where diagnosis should be a first step for pertinent interventions.