
The International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste (IDAFLW) will make a clear call to action for public and private entities to take action to reduce food loss and waste (FLW) toward transforming agrifood systems to contribute to the achievement of the 2030 agenda.
Why is reducing food loss and waste important in contributing to agrifood systems transformation?
Between 691 and 783 million people faced hunger in 2022, with a mid-range of 735 million (FAO, 2023). While hunger and food security continue, an estimated 13 percent of the world’s food is lost in the supply chain from post-harvest prior to retail (FAO, 2022); a further 17 percent of food is wasted in households, food services and in retail (UNEP, 2021).
Currently, many of the world’s agrifood systems are unsustainable, as they degrade agricultural land, contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and loss of biodiversity and consume groundwater. Food systems are also vulnerable to external climate and other shocks, partly because of the impact on the environment.
Reducing food loss and waste can play a key role in the transformation of agrifood systems by increasing the availability of food, contributing to food security, healthy diets, and building resilience. Food loss and food waste reduction also serves as a key climate strategy by reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs). It can therefore help countries and businesses to raise climate ambition, while conserving and protecting our ecosystems and natural resources upon which the future of food depends.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – specifically SDG 12, target 12.3 – calls for halving per-capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reducing food losses along production and supply chains. Target 16 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) among other issues, also calls for “halving global food waste by 2030.”
Accelerating the pace of actions to reduce FLW toward meeting the SDG 12.3 target, and the target set by the GBF for food waste reduction is a dire necessity to positively impact the pace of agrifood system transformation – with tangible benefits for people and planet.
International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste (IDAFLW)
29 September 2023 - 4th observance
- IDAFLW 2023 video
- Global event webcast and Agenda
- Pope Francis message in Spanish
- Photo album of the global event
- IDAFLW outreach event with St George International British school in Rome photo album
News from around the world
- Kenya’s Citizen TV
- Indonesia's SEA Today news
- UAE's leading daily Al Arabiya
- Mexico's El Universal
- Get involved guide
- Additional material is available from the asset bank
International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste (IDAFLW)
29 September 2022 - 3rd observance
Link to webcasted event HERE - Photo Album HERE
FAO-UNEP Press release
Interviews
FAO technical officer
UNEP technical officer
Relevant Articles
UN Chronicle
Vatican News
El Diario
Voice of America
Videos
FAO - Reducing food loss and waste plays a key role in transforming agrifood systems
UNEP - The global food and climate crisis can be helped by reducing loss and waste
Partners' events
FEBA
Postharvest Consortium
International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste (IDAFLW)
29 September 2021 - 2nd observance
International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste (IDAFLW)
29 September 2020 - 1st observance
For more information
Live
Food Loss and Waste
Take action to reduce food loss and waste towards transforming global agrifood systems
The International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and waste on 29 September 2023 called for public and private entities to take action to reduce food loss and waste towards transforming global agrifood systems.
Food Loss and Waste
FAO Goodwill Ambassador Diarmuid Gavin
In observance of the IDAFLW 2022, FAO National Goodwill Ambassador for Ireland Diarmuid Gavin reminded us that 31 % of total greenhouse gas emissions are attributable to the food system.

