Problem & challenge bank
Problems worth solving
Student challenges, multidisciplinary projects, institutional and industry problems, public-interest and worldwide unresolved problems, and future research topics — each labelled by the evidence behind it.
Partially solved worldwide problemAgricultureIntermediate
Post-harvest loss of fruit and vegetables between farm and market
A large share of perishable produce is lost between harvest and consumption through poor handling, lack of cooling, packaging and transport delays. The FAO maintains a global platform documenting food loss and waste across supply chains.
Research topicAgricultureIntermediatePartly evidenced
Low-cost sensing for crop disease and soil health on small farms
Smallholders rarely have timely information on crop disease onset, soil nutrients or moisture. Phone-camera diagnosis and low-cost sensors are advancing but accuracy, calibration, local-language advice and affordability remain open research questions.