This course is part of Module I: Experience on Grain Postharvest Management within the webinar series on postharvest loss reduction organized by the WFP Centre of Excellence for Rural Transformation (WFP China COE). The series was held from August 27th to September 26th, 2024, with support from the Academy of China’s National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration (NAFRA).

The overall objective of this webinar series is to share China’s extensive experience, technologies, and practices in reducing postharvest loss. Across two modules—Module I: Experience on Grain Postharvest Management and Module II: Technology and Practice on Grain Postharvest Loss Reduction—a total of 16 Chinese presenters introduced China’s approaches to postharvest management and demonstrated key technologies applied by aggregators at various stages of the postharvest process.

Within this framework, the present course examines the origins, development, and contemporary establishment of China’s grain reserves system, tracing its evolution from ancient grain reserve philosophies to modern institutional structures. It covers the progression of management and technical requirements as well as strategies for grain conservation and loss reduction. The course aims to provide a comprehensive and systematic understanding of the foundations and operational mechanisms of China’s grain reserves system.