Presenting the Guidelines for action on food loss and waste reduction in the Near East and North Africa
Virtual Event, 20/09/2023
©FAO
Food loss and waste (FLW) reduction is an important entry point to more sustainable, resilient and equitable agrifood systems in the Near East and North Africa (NENA). Interventions to reduce FLW support adaptation to and mitigation of climate change, lower the pressure on scarce water and arable land resources, preserve and deliver nutritious food, and promote inclusive growth by preserving and adding value to agrifood products which can lead to decent jobs and income for agrifood system actors including women, youth, small-scale producers and SMEs.
Reducing FLW is a multi-stakeholder, multi-disciplinary, multi-sectoral issue that requires a holistic, integrated and systemic approach. FAO’s member countries requested practical guidance to assist their efforts, resulting in the Voluntary code of conduct for food loss and waste reduction, an international instrument that presents a framework of actions and guiding principles to follow to effectively reduce FLW while promoting more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems and accelerating progress towards the SDGs. NENA member countries can use this instrument as an overarching framework to adapt and apply in their national contexts.
The Guidelines for action on food loss and waste reduction in the Near East and North Africa meet this purpose – providing regionally-tailored and relevant guidance to NENA countries to implement the Voluntary code of conduct for FLW reduction in line with Agenda 2030 and their national agrifood system objectives. They were developed based on consultations with policymakers, private sector, civil society, research and academia, and development partners from across the NENA, and further supported by an indepth literature review examining the current challenges and opportunities for reducing FLW in the region. The Guidelines provide a basis for developing national strategies, policies, and legislation enabling food loss and waste reduction among NENA countries.
The webinar is an occasion to present the finalized Guidelines for action on food loss and waste reduction in the Near East and North Africa to stakeholders involved in the consultation process and to the wider community of experts, practitioners, and policy makers in NENA working to address FLW. Invited speakers will share their varied experiences showcasing how actions can be enabled to drive real change in FLW reduction for agrifood system transformation. In the spirit of action, FAO will present its new website developed to support networking and sharing knowledge, experience and good practices that aims to amplify the FLW reduction efforts of stakeholders across the NENA region.
Webinar recording:
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Agenda and Speakers | |
11:00 | Welcome remarks and introduction Ahmed Mukhtar, Senior Economist, FAO Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa |
11:10 | Presentation of the Guidelines for action on food loss and waste in the Near East and North Africa region, Maryam Rezaei, Agro-Industry Officer, FAO Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa |
11:25 | Panel discussion: Taking action on food loss and waste reduction for agrifood system transformation in the Near East and North Africa, followed by Q&A
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12:10 | Launch of the regional network: Food loss and waste reduction in the Near East and North Africa |
12:20 | Technical platform on the measurement and reduction of food loss and waste, Francesca Gianfelici, Coordinator, FAO Technical Platform on food loss and waste, FAO Food and Nutrition Division |
12:30 | Closing remarks |