Reducing food loss and waste requires more funding: FAO, IDB, UNEP and PASO

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Office of Agricultural Studies and Policies of Chile (PASO), underscored the critical need for increased financing to boost efforts to halve per capita food loss and waste and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in 2030, during the regional event to raise awareness on the subject.

FAO estimates that 11.6% of food is lost in Latin America. Meanwhile, UNEP estimates that 19% of food waste occurs globally in the field of retail, food service or households.

In net figures, the region generates more than 130 million tons of organic waste for final disposal. Paradoxically, at the same time, the figures of IParadoxically, at the same time, the figures from The State of World Food and Nutrition Security 2024 (SOFI) report show that 41 million people suffered from hunger in the region and 187.6 million people (28.2% of the population) suffered from moderate or severe food insecurity.

Mario Lubetkin, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean, explained that "investments that reduce food loss and waste not only improve food security, but also contribute to the reduction of emissions, and ensure the availability of nutritious, sufficient and sustainable food. Reducing food loss and waste requires the creation and strengthening of capacities and innovative solutions that transform our agri-food systems, especially in a context of hunger, malnutrition and climate threats."  

Meanwhile, the IDB Representative in Chile, María Florencia Attademo-Hirt, said that "there is no better way to celebrate this day than by committing to action. To work every day for a Latin America and the Caribbean without food losses or waste. And that is what we try to do at the Bank, through the No Waste Platform. We do so in a collaborative spirit, seeking synergies with the public, private and civil society sectors. With partners such as FAO and UNEP, among others." 

For his part, Juan Bello, UNEP Regional Director explained "Reducing food waste is essential to fight the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution and also to face the challenges of desertification and soil degradation of productive land. 28% of the world's agricultural area is being used to produce food that is lost or wasted."

During the opening session, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Chile, Ignacia Fernández; the Vice Minister of Agricultural Production of the Dominican Republic, Eulalio Ramírez; the Representative in Chile of the Parliamentary Front Against Hunger, Carolina Marzán; and the Deputy of Panama, José Pérez. During this segment, the social, economic and environmental impacts produced by food loss and waste were addressed.

In addition, actors from the entire agri-food chain in Latin America and the Caribbean met in the different technical sessions to discuss progress and challenges in the region; Innovation, technologies and initiatives to combat losses and waste; and National strategies for the reduction of food losses and waste.