Food loss and waste (FLW) are a manifestation of poorly functioning agrifood systems. They have negative impacts on the economy, food security, nutrition, and the environment. Regional estimates have found that 11 percent of the food produced is lost in the Near East and North Africa (NENA) from post-harvest until before retail stage (FAO, 2019), and that seventy-three to 165 kilograms is wasted in hotels, restaurants, catering and household consumption per capita/year (UNEP, 2021).

Among NENA countries, the dire lack of reliable, consistent data on FLW is often highlighted as an obstacle to developing food loss reduction strategies and policies that have a long-term scope, adapted to local geographic and socio-economic context. FLW measurement requires a data collection strategy that includes the definition of data needs, the design and implementation of data collection, and an integration and aggregation mechanism that generates supply chain and national food loss estimates.

FAO invites policymakers, practitioners, and stakeholders across the agrifood system to a webinar on how to produce statistical food loss data at country-level in an orientation for NENA countries to build their food loss measurement strategy. The objective is to increase awareness of Indicator 12.3.1.a (i.e., the Food Loss Index), its methodology, underlying data needs and data collection strategies to facilitate implementation and reporting of indicator 12.3.1.a at country-level.