Moving forward on food loss and waste reduction

The need to reduce food loss and waste is firmly embedded in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Food loss and waste reduction is considered important for improving food security and nutrition, promoting environmental sustainability and lowering production costs. However, efforts to reduce food loss and waste will only be effective if informed by a solid understanding of the problem. This report provides new estimates of the percentage of the world’s food lost from production up to the retail level. The report also finds a vast diversity in existing estimates of losses, even for the same commodities and for the same stages in the supply chain. Clearly identifying and understanding critical loss points in specific supply chains - where considerable potential exists for reducing food losses - is crucial to deciding on appropriate measures. The report provides some guiding principles for interventions based on the objectives being pursued through food loss and waste reductions, be they in improved economic efficiency, food security and nutrition, or environmental sustainability.
Chapter 1. Food loss and waste - framing the issues -- Chapter 2. Monitoring food loss and waste along food supply chains -- Chapter 3. Reducing food loss and waste - the business case and beyond -- Chapter 4. Food loss and waste and the implications for food security and nutrition -- Chapter 5. Food loss and waste and environmental sustainability -- Chapter 6. Policymaking for food loss and waste reduction - guiding principles.

xxi, 156 p. : ill., graphs, maps, tables

Includes bibliographical references (p. 145-156).

9789251317891
0081-4539
1564-3352 (eISSN)