Impact
This sub-indicator measures changes in the food losses from along the supply chain from the point of maturity on the production site to the retails level. The objective is to show the impact of policy and investment on the efficiency of the supply chain. FAO recommends collecting data for the various stages (harvest, post-production, storage, transportation, primary processing and wholesales) to help countries tailor programs to improve the efficiency and functioning of their food supply system. FAO also recommends a food systems approach that addresses food losses and waste in the context of other policy priorities.
Key results
Globally, food loss estimates have remained steady between 2016 and 2020, although with substantial variations across regions and subregions.
The global percentage of food lost after harvesting at the farm, transport, storage, wholesale and processing levels is estimated at 13 percent in 2016 and 13.3 percent in 2020. These percentages correspond to a food loss index of 98.7 in 2016 and 101.2 in 2020.
At the regional level, sub-Saharan Africa has the highest losses at 21.4 percent. LDCs and SIDS also register high losses, with 18.9 percent and 17.3 percent, respectively. Structural inadequacies in these regions result in food being lost in large quantities between the farm and retail levels. Eastern and South-Eastern Asia also registers high food losses (15.1 percent), due to large losses in value chains for fruits and vegetables. The lowest losses occur in Latin America and the Caribbean (12.3 percent) and Europe and Northern America (9.9 percent). All regions except Central and Southern Asia register an increase in estimated losses in 2020 as compared to 2016, with the highest increases seen in SIDS (up 1 percent), Oceania (up 1.2 percent) and Northern Africa and Western Asia (up 1.7 percent).
