Postharvest Strategies for Indigenous Fruits and Vegetables in West Africa: Linking Food Loss Reduction, Nutrient Retention and Diet Quality

Fruits and vegetables are integral to West African diets, livelihoods and cultural food systems, yet their contributions to nutrition security remain constrained by significant postharvest losses. This review synthesises recent literature on traditional, modern and integrated postharvest management practices for indigenous fruits and vegetables in West Africa, with a focus on nutrient retention, food loss reduction and diet quality. Unlike previous reviews that focus on commercial horticultural crops or single-country analyses, this review uniquely applies a nutrition-sensitive systems framework to West African indigenous species, integrating evidence from food science, nutrition, gender studies and value chain analysis. We identify integrated postharvest approaches combining indigenous knowledge with context-appropriate technological innovations as the most viable pathway for strengthening nutrition-sensitive food systems, a finding that advances beyond the traditional technology-centric or loss-quantification literature. The effects of harvesting, handling, storage, preservation, processing and market coordination on food availability, affordability and nutrient preservation are critically examined. Traditional postharvest practices remain widespread due to their accessibility and cultural acceptance; however, their effectiveness is increasingly limited by climate variability and inadequate quality assurance. In contrast, modern postharvest technologies demonstrate improved preservation efficiency and nutrient retention but are often constrained by high costs, energy dependence and limited social inclusion. Evidence suggests that integrated postharvest approaches combining indigenous knowledge with context-appropriate technological innovations offer the most viable pathway for strengthening nutrition-sensitive food systems. The review also highlights the central role of women in postharvest activities and underscores the need for gender-responsive, climate-smart and market-oriented interventions. Overall, enhancing postharvest management of fruits and vegetables represents a critical entry point for improving diet quality, reducing food losses and fostering resilient and inclusive food systems in West Africa.