How to Save 2,000 Tons of Food Wasted Each Day in The Philippines

By Roman Gana

The Leyte Herald

Manila,

October 10th, 2024

In the Philippines, nearly 2,000 tons of fruits and vegetables are wasted every day. The problem isn’t that farmers can’t grow enough, but that much of it goes to waste before it even reaches the markets. The food sits too long, ripens too fast, and before anyone can do anything, it’s no longer edible. But what if there was a way to save it all? What if we could turn what’s about to spoil into something that lasts?

Farmers Relief and ARIS Enterprise. NGO in Leyte, Philippines, are working on just that. They’re developing a solar-powered dehydrator that could save thousands of tons of food from ending up in the trash, transforming it into dried fruit and veggie chips that last for months. The project is still in the design phase, but it has the potential to change the way we look at food waste forever.

The Numbers Don’t Lie

Two thousand tons of wasted produce each day equals a staggering amount of food. If even half of that were saved and dehydrated, it would translate into 1,000 tons of food that could be eaten, sold, or stored for later. A single dehydrator, depending on its capacity, can process up to 1,000 kilograms (1 ton) of produce daily. For a country where much of the population is dependent on agriculture for both income and sustenance, this could be a game-changer.

On the financial side, the numbers are equally promising. The value of the wasted fruits and vegetables is estimated at nearly ₱20 million per day. Even if 50% of that waste were salvaged, it could mean ₱10 million in saved food products, not to mention new opportunities for local businesses to sell dried goods. Imagine tasty banana chips, sweet potato slices, or dried ube taking the place of processed snacks full of fake sugars—satisfying, healthy, and local.

The Power of Solar Energy

The beauty of this solution lies in its simplicity. Solar-powered dehydrators run on the sun’s energy, cutting electricity costs entirely. A typical small-scale solar dehydrator costs around ₱25,000 ($500), while larger commercial models can range up to ₱100,000 ($2,000). These dehydrators can process anywhere from 50 to 1,000 kilograms of produce per day, depending on their size. That’s a lot of food saved with very little cost.

A single dehydrator, operating in a village, could dry and preserve 1 ton of fruits or vegetables daily.

Multiply that across multiple villages and towns, and you begin to see how this could cut down waste on a massive scale.

Health Benefits: From Sugar Snacks to Veggie Chips

For years, kids and adults alike have been hooked on sugary, processed snacks. What if they had a better option? Dried sweet potatoes, banana chips, and ube chips could easily replace the junk food filling store shelves. Not only are they natural and healthier, but they’re also grown locally, which supports the very farmers who provide the produce.

By drying fruits and veggies, we can retain their nutritional value while extending their shelf life. This means better access to vitamins and nutrients year-round, even during off-seasons. And when kids start snacking on naturally sweet dried produce instead of candy or chips, the health benefits could be huge—from less sugar consumption to better heart health and more energy.

The Farmers’ Role

To make this project work, local farmers will need to be on board. After all, they’re the ones growing the produce. Collecting near-ripe fruits and vegetables before they spoil is the key. Farmers Relief and ARIS are working on setting up a network of collection points where farmers can drop off their produce to be dehydrated. This way, they can still make a profit on crops that would otherwise go to waste.

Additionally, farmers will need to produce less to meet the same demand, as dried produce lasts much longer than fresh. Less strain on their resources means healthier, more sustainable farming practices in the long run. And the farmers won’t have to watch their hard work rot away.

BETA Testing in Ormoc

Next year, the BETA test for this project will take place in a town near Ormoc, Leyte. Local farmers will be the first to use the solar-powered dehydrators and see firsthand how much food can be saved and processed. If the test goes well, the plan is to expand the project throughout the region, providing farmers with dehydrators and setting up more collection points.

This could be the beginning of a new chapter for the farmers of the Philippines, where waste is no longer inevitable, and everyone benefits—from healthier snacks to a more sustainable food system.

The Path Forward

The solution to the Philippines' food waste problem is as simple as the sun itself. With solar-powered dehydrators, we can save food, improve health, and help farmers thrive. The only question now is: will we seize this opportunity? Or will we continue letting 2,000 tons of perfectly good food go to waste every day?

The choice is in our hands.

Roman Gana