FAO resources on food loss and waste
28/09/2021
In a world where the number of people affected by hunger has been slowly rising since 2014, and tonnes of edible food are lost and/or wasted every day, curbing food loss and waste is essential. Food loss and waste also put unnecessary pressure on the environment, resulting in natural resource depletion and greenhouse gas emissions.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a wake-up call on the need to transform and rebalance the way our food is produced and consumed.
On the occasion of the second observance of the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste (29 September), have a look at a selection of FAO titles exploring the linkages between food loss and waste and food security, and suggesting ways to address the situation while improving nutrition and environmental sustainability.
The State of Food and Agriculture (SOFA) 2019: Moving forward on food loss and waste reduction
The 2019 edition provided new estimates of the percentage of the world's food lost from production up to the retail level, suggesting that identifying and understanding critical loss points in specific supply chains is crucial to defining appropriate measures.
Reducing food loss and waste: Five challenges for policy and research
Despite broad agreement in policy circles on the need to reduce food loss and waste (FLW), considerable gaps in information still exist. This paper identifies policy-relevant information gaps; summarizes recent research that tries to fill these gaps; and identifies five challenges for researchers, policy makers and practitioners in reducing food loss and waste.
Mitigating risks to food systems during COVID-19: Reducing food loss and waste
This brief calls for holistic approaches to tackle food loss and waste reduction, in an effort to facilitate access to food for all and particularly for vulnerable groups during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Food loss and waste and the right to adequate food: Making the connection
This publication focuses on the need to develop sustainable global consumption and production systems to help realize the right to adequate food, while arguing for a human-rights-based approach to tackle food loss and waste.
Gender and food loss in sustainable food value chains: A guiding note
This guidance note on integrating gender concerns into food loss responses proposes an approach that consists of value-chain mapping, identification of constraints and solutions, and social risk assessment.
Additional resources
Publications
- Food losses and waste in the context of sustainable food systems − A report by the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition
- Case studies on managing quality, assuring safety and reducing post-harvest losses in fruit and vegetable supply chains in south Asian countries
- Post-harvest management in horticultural value chains; factsheets and guidance notes
- FAO Food Loss Analysis (FLA) reports and factsheets
- Do good save food school-kit
- Mainstreaming food loss reduction initiatives for smallholders in food deficit areas. An RBA joint project
- How access to energy can influence food losses: A brief overview
- Good practice in the design, management and operation of a fresh produce packing-house
- Save food for a better climate: Converting the food loss and waste challenge into climate action
Websites
- Technical platform on the measurement and reduction of food loss and waste
- Community of Practice on food loss and waste reduction
E-learning courses
