International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste (IDAFLW) - 29 September

La quinta edición del Día Internacional de Concienciación sobre la Pérdida y el Desperdicio de Alimentos hará hincapié en la necesidad crítica de financiación para impulsar los esfuerzos encaminados a reducir la pérdida y el desperdicio de alimentos, contribuir al logro de los objetivos climáticos y avanzar en la Agenda 2030 para el Desarrollo Sostenible.

El mundo produce suficientes alimentos para dar de comer a toda la población y, aun así, millones de personas padecen hambre y malnutrición. La pérdida y el desperdicio de alimentos agravan este problema al reducir la cantidad de alimentos disponibles para el consumo, contribuyendo así a la inseguridad alimentaria. Muchos de los alimentos más nutritivos, como los productos frescos, los productos de la pesca y los productos de origen animal son muy perecederos y sufren niveles elevados de pérdida.

La pérdida y el desperdicio de alimentos se traducen en pérdidas económicas sustanciales. Esto no solo afecta a los productores, sino también a los consumidores y a las naciones, por no hablar de los medios de vida y la estabilidad económica. Además, los desechos de alimentos en los vertederos representan entre un 8 % y un 10 % del total de emisiones de los sistemas agroalimentarios, repercutiendo en el cambio climático y en la sostenibilidad ambiental.

Food loss and waste in numbers

• An estimated 13% of food produced is lost globally after harvest and prior to reaching retail shelves based on the most recent estimates ( FAO, 2019).

• Recently updated estimates showed that a frightening 19% of food available to consumers – the equivalent of 1.05 billion tonnes – is wasted either by being discarded at retail, in food service settings, or thrown away by households. That’s almost one fifth of all food that reaches the end of the supply chain ( UNEP, 2024).

• Collectively, we waste a lot of food at home. In fact, a staggering 60% of food waste is wasted at the household level, 28% from food service, and 12% from retail ( UNEP, 2024).

• While all this food is being lost and wasted, an estimated one in thirteen people worldwide experienced hunger in 2025, representing between 608 and 696 million people (7.4-8.5 percent of the global population). Moreover, an estimated 2.1 billion people - 25.8 percent of the global population - experienced moderate or severe food insecurity ( FAO, 2026).

• According to the latest estimates, approximately 2.69 billion (32.7 percent) people in the world cannot afford a healthy diet ( FAO, 2026). Among the various food groups, fruits and vegetables - a key component of a nutritious diet - experience the highest percentage of losses, further aggravating this global challenge ( FAO, 2019).

• Food loss and waste also contributes to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions (FAOSTAT, 2025), impacting climate change and environmental sustainability. Reducing food loss and waste is therefore a climate solution, which countries and communities can employ to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect natural resources ( IPCC, 2019).

• Food that is never eaten uses up 28% of the world’s agricultural land area ( FAO, 2013).

• The global land occupation footprint of food loss and waste, which is the total hectares used to grow food that ends up not being consumed, is about 1.4 billion hectares ( FAO, 2013), which is larger than Canada or China.

• Food loss is also a market failure, representing an estimated annual loss of US$400 billion in food value ( FAO, 2019).

• Food waste results in the throwing away of more than US$1 trillion worth of food every year ( UNEP, 2024).

How can you mark the day?

• Join the conversation on social media using the hashtag #FLWday hashtag.
• Use our visual identity free materials - available in multiple languages.
• Check out the IDAFLW social media kit for more resources.
• Join or organize events to raise awareness on food loss and waste.
• Register your event on the IDAFLW 2026 world map.
• Don’t forget to tell us about it at [email protected].

Previous observances of the IDAFLW

Relevant links

Enlaces y recursos útiles