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Sustainable food cold chains: Opportunities, challenges and the way forward









UNEP and FAO. 2022. Sustainable food cold chains: Opportunities, challenges and the way forward. Nairobi, UNEP and Rome, FAO.





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    Expert Consultation Meeting on the Status and Challenges of the Cold Chain for Food Handling in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region
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    2012
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    Our region is food insecure and a net importer of foods. It produces much less food than it requires due to many factors, such as limited arable land and shortage of water resources, and below world average agricultural productivity in many cases. In addition, the region suffers from excessive food losses and wastes. FAO estimated recently that food losses and waste in the world amounts to about 1.3 billion metric tons, and we estimate that our region’s share of these losses and wastes is very s ignificant. Therefore, in addition to improving food productivity, it is vital to explore every possible means to reduce food losses and wastes throughout the distribution systems. Such efforts will increase food availability, wholesomeness and safety, reduce the food shortage, and achieve food security in our region. Therefore, the establishment of adequate cold chain infrastructure and adequate application and management is essential to assure food security. The costs of establishing an adequa te cold chain industry, both economic and environmental, can be more than offset by the economic and environmental benefits of maintaining adequate quantities and quality of food.
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    Special event of the FAO Science and Innovation Forum - Food Loss and Waste reduction: how can we better integrate science and innovation in our actions?
    19 October 2022, 11:00 - 12:45
    2022
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    Significant levels of food loss and waste (FLW) occur in the food supply chain from production to consumption. Globally, up to 14 percent of food produced for human consumption is lost from harvest up to but excluding retail, while 17 percent is wasted at the retail and consumer stages. FLW have negative impacts on food security and nutrition, occurring within a context where some 828 million people in the world are undernourished and 3.1 billion cannot afford a healthy diet. FLW contribute significantly to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, to environmental pollution, degradation of natural ecosystems and biodiversity loss, and represent a waste of the resources used in food production, such as energy, water and land. Reducing FLW helps address the challenge of promoting economic prosperity and sustainably feeding a world population projected to reach almost 10 billion in 2050, without accentuating pressure on the environment and the natural resources underpinning the agri-food system. Science and context-specific innovations are critical to catalyse, support and accelerate the transformation of agri-food systems to improve their efficiency, sustainability, inclusiveness and resilience, thereby leading to FLW reduction and contributing to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Innovations in this context include innovations in the policy, regulatory and institutional framework, as well as innovations in technologies, social and market relationships, finance products and business models that contribute to reducing FLW in a sustainable way (economically, socially and environmentally). On the other hand, science generates new insights and the basis for these innovations, while also serving to identify targets and actions for pathways towards reaching those targets. We need to capitalize on scientific and technological advancements to transform agri-food systems to be more efficient, resilient, sustainable and inclusive, leaving no one behind. Organized within the framework of FAO Science & Innovation Forum 2022, this event will gather perspectives and experiences from stakeholders from different parts of the world regarding applying science and leveraging innovation to sustainably reduce food loss and waste (FLW). The event will also discuss possible response options and make concrete recommendations to achieve lower levels of FLW at scale within a sustainable agri-food systems context.
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    Food loss prevention and reduction analysis in Indonesia
    A case study on chili, cabbage and shallot
    2024
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    Food loss and waste within Indonesia's supply chains present significant challenges to both environmental sustainability and efficient natural resource utilization. This pervasive issue spans from food production to retail, affecting the ability of supply chain stakeholders to invest in essential infrastructure improvements. Food waste, in particular, accumulates at various stages, including retail, catering services, and households, further straining natural resources and exacerbating climate change impacts.In Indonesia, the reduction and prevention of food losses assume strategic importance as it directly impacts food availability, accessibility, and the well-being of consumers. Additionally, it alleviates pressure on natural resources, supports the growth of agribusiness, and enhances the livelihoods of farmers and other actors along the supply chains. Key factors closely linked to addressing food losses in Indonesia include finance, technology, knowledge, and market dynamics. Alarmingly, horticultural commodities, especially vegetables, experience losses exceeding 60 percent. Minimizing food losses not only bolsters productivity for agripreneurs but also improves food security and nutrition for all, from vulnerable smallholder farmers to micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).To address these challenges, Indonesia has enacted national law No. 13/2020 on horticulture, encompassing fruits and vegetables, with the aim of creating jobs, enhancing production, productivity, quality, added value, competitive advantage, and market share. In a recent study conducted between June and December 2022, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Center of System, a logistics research institution, analysed food losses in chili, cabbage and shallot supply chains. These commodities, predominantly cultivated by smallholder farmers, play a vital role in stabilizing food prices, controlling regional inflation, and ensuring food availability and accessibility. The study not only identifies the extent of quality and quantity losses but also provides practical solutions for their reduction.Crucially, enhancing the implementation of hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP), good manufacturing practices (GMP), and good hygiene practices (GHP) is emphasized, particularly during harvest, transportation, handling and storage. Recommendations include establishing post-harvest technical assistance facilities, agrologistic centres, and value-added processing facilities to mitigate losses due to quality degradation. Furthermore, the abstract underscores the need for innovation in technology, private-sector investment, and raising public awareness as decisive elements in substantially reducing food loss. In conclusion, addressing food loss is paramount for enhancing food security, supporting sustainable livelihoods, and fortifying the overall food system in Indonesia.

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