This year’s International Day of Zero Waste focuses on food waste – what we eat, what we waste, and how we can reduce food waste as a pathway to environmental protection, greater economic stability, stronger community resilience and more accessible, efficient food systems.

Marking the International Day of Zero Waste, state authorities, associations, charity organizations and private-sector representatives convened in Tbilisi on 30 March for a national forum on food loss and waste reduction and food donation.

Ahead of the International Day of Zero Waste on 30 March, 20 cities worldwide have been named the inaugural 20 Cities Towards Zero Waste, an initiative led by the UN Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Zero Waste, with support from UN-Habitat and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).

The webinar brought together experts from across FAO divisions and regional offices to map existing initiatives and identify opportunities where food safety perspectives could strengthen ongoing FLW work. The event reviewed key FAO initiatives and regional projects addressing FLW.

Food loss and waste (FLW) can be a reservoir and even an accelerator for anti-microbial resistance (AMR), highlighting that it should be integrated into AMR surveillance and management strategies, according to experts at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).