Background

In 2011, FAO estimated that one third of all food produced globally goes to waste. A new report by WWF estimates that global waste may be closer to 40 percent, a result of more thorough measurement of on-farm losses. Meanwhile, 821 million people are going hungry.
In South Africa, 10.3 million metric tons of food goes to waste each year (about one third of all food produced), 80 percent of which is considered edible. These food losses are largely due to a poorly integrated South African food chain, which lacks collaboration on improved food utilization and generates waste in almost all of its agents and phases. 

This excessive waste is in stark contrast to the evidence that millions of South Africans are hungry, in both urban and rural areas. Successfully reducing Food Loss and Waste (FLW) is an opportunity to mitigate severe localized food insecurity and improve the health and wellbeing of all South Africans, but especially the most marginalized in society such as women, youth and children.
The impacts of COVID-19 –- including significant food system disruptions and increased food insecurity –- have put additional pressure on governments, industry and civil society to address supply chain losses, food insecurity, food distribution and value-add processing.