MAXIMIZING ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY: STRATEGIES FOR REDUCING CARBON EMISSIONS AND POSTHARVEST LOSSES.

This study examined the effects of environmental sustainability and carbon emissions on post-harvest losses. Data used were collected from several databases such as World Bank Development Indicators (WDI), Food and Agriculture Organization Statistics (FAOSTAT), World Bank Doing Business and country policy and institutional assessment (CPIA) over the period of 2004 to 2022. The study applied the Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squares (FMOLS), Dynamic Ordinary Least Squares (DOLS) and Granger causality tests for the data analysis. The results showed that environmental sustainability reduces post-harvest losses, while carbon emissions increase post-harvest losses. The results suggest that a focus on environmental sustainability practices can help reduce post-harvest losses, while higher carbon emissions are associated with increased post-harvest losses. This underscores the importance of adopting environmentally friendly practices to enhance food security and reduce waste in the agricultural supply chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]