Urban Food Actions Platform

How can we minimize food losses in the stages of the food supply chain? How can we minimize the amount of food thrown away by households?

We will explore different ways of promoting the food waste “pyramid”, from reducing food loss and waste, facilitating food recovery and redistribution for human consumption and improving the collection of waste for biogas or organic fertilizers (city-wide composting plans).

 

Related Resources

Food production and ecosystem management, Food loss and waste - Articles
Installing urine collection systems in sub-Saharan city regions would make those conurbations more sustainable. Indeed, collecting urine incities could provide valuable fertilizer suitable for local agricultural use, and thus serve to make city region food systems more sustainable. This was demonstrated by a study by four researchers from CIRAD, IRD, Boubakar Bâ...
Burkina Faso, Niger (Africa)
2023 - CIRAD
Governance and planning, Food production and ecosystem management, Food supply and distribution, Food loss and waste - Directories
In this special section, authors approach urban, as well as city-region food systems, to discuss the implications of the deep changes needed in terms of degrowth, social justice and contesting the political and economic hegemony. It gathers selected contributions to the 9th International AESOP Sustainable Food Planning Conference held at Universidad Politécnica de...
(Global coverage)
2022 - Coll.
Sustainable diets and nutrition, Food production and ecosystem management, Food loss and waste - Reports & Case Studies
The World Economic Forum together with the Food Action Alliance convened the international community for an action-oriented discussion centred on leading flagship initiatives that hold the potential to realize regional and country-led actions for food systems. From global food systems thinking to local impact, the meeting focused on the global demand for healthy and nutritious food...
Denmark, Italy, Netherlands (Kingdom of the), United Kingdom (Europe)
2022 - Coll.
Food loss and waste - Directories
ONLY IN FRENCH This documentation centre provides 200 technical documents on various topics related to solid waste management and the circular economy from initiatives and projects conducted in Sub-Saharan Africa:  ● Informal actors● Decentralised Cooperation and NGOs● Education and awareness-raising● Data sheet● Financing of the sector● Financing and Project Management● Training● Waste...
(Africa)
2022 -
Governance and planning, Food production and ecosystem management, Food loss and waste - Guidelines
This infographic shows the outcomes of different dialogues about food systems transformation among people coming from more than 26 cities around the world, and with the involvement of local and regional governments, urban practitioners, researchers, business owners and food system stakeholders. In particular, 10 critical actions are identified to promote a...
(Global coverage)
2021 - Coll.
Food loss and waste - Reports & Case Studies
This video presents a FAO support for the exchange of knowledge and experiences on food waste reduction among 3 cities: Milan (Italy), Nairobi (Kenya) and Kigali (Rwanda). It highlights city-to-city cooperation benefit to buid sustainable urban food systems.
Italy, Kenya, Rwanda (Global coverage)
2021 - Coll.
Sustainable diets and nutrition, Food loss and waste - Directories
The Brighton & Hove Food Partnership is a non-profit organisation helping people learn to cook, eat a healthy diet, and grow their own food and waste less food. This organization, whose aim is to connect and inspire individuals, community groups and organisations, offers a large catalogue of resources about food issues, divided into food...
United Kingdom (Europe)
2021 - The Brighton & Hove Food Partnership
Food production and ecosystem management, Food loss and waste - Articles
This article explain step by step how a new urban farm, springing up on a former garbage dump in Chiang Mai (Thailand) has become a lifeline for the area’s urban poor communities. It is demostrated how vacant public land can be jointly managed by people and the local government for the...
Thailand (Asia and the Pacific)
2020 - Supawut Boonmahathanakorn
Governance and planning, Food loss and waste - Policy Briefs
Food waste is a climate issue, representing 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The UK has a long-standing reputation as an international leader on food waste action: now it is time to realise the potential of ambitious food waste prevention to deliver climate goals. This policy brief sets out the overwhelming...
United Kingdom (Europe)
2020 - Coll.
Food loss and waste - Reports & Case Studies
Turning municipal solid waste into energy through the waste-to-energy process is one of the popular strategies of solving the rise of generated waste. It involves incinerating waste to produce energy in the form of electricity or heat. Unfortunately, lack of access to finance and a gap in technological knowledge made...
China (Asia and the Pacific)
2020 - Coll.
Governance and planning, Food loss and waste - Articles
Food waste is one of the most important issues of current food systems, and cities are crucial actors in tackling food waste, launching effective policies and initiatives to address it. By looking at 40 cities across 16 European countries, this study aims to present a new framework for assessing urban...
(Europe)
2020 - Fattibene, Daniele, Francesca Recanati, Katarzyna Dembska, and Marta Antonelli.
Governance and planning, Social and economic equity, Food production and ecosystem management, Food supply and distribution, Food loss and waste - Directories
The collection and sharing of concrete information is necessary and important. Canada has established a network of food communities to share concrete information on municipal, community and regional responses to COVID-19 (with ongoing sharing on strengthening the food system in cities, communities and regions currently funded for at least three...
Canada (North America)
2020 - Coll.
Food supply and distribution, Food loss and waste - Reports & Case Studies
Promoting the principles of a circular economy, this report details three ambitions for a circular economy for food that cities can implement: (1) source food grown regeneratively, and locally where appropriate; (2) make the most of food; (3) design and market healthier food products. Examples are presented of Brussels, Guelph,...
Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Portugal (Global coverage)
2019 - Coll.
Sustainable diets and nutrition, Food supply and distribution, Food loss and waste - Reports & Case Studies
C40, Arup and the University of Leeds have collaborated on research and analysis to better understand consumption-based emissions in cities, to explore their scale and to consider what cities can do to reduce them.
(Global coverage)
2019 - C40 Cities, Arup & University of Leeds
Governance and planning, Sustainable diets and nutrition, Social and economic equity, Food production and ecosystem management, Food supply and distribution, Food loss and waste - Frameworks
The FAO Framework for the Urban Food Agenda serves as a corporate strategy to address emerging calls from countries, responding to demands for a multi-sectorial, multi-stakeholder and multi-level approach to food insecurity and malnutrition across the rural-urban continuum. The Framework explains why FAO is in a unique position to influence...
(Global coverage)
2019 - Coll.
Food loss and waste - Methodology and Training Materials
This training material showcase the Milan Food Policy with a focus on its Food Waste Management scheme. Through out 23 short videos, you'll meet all the actors engaged in food waste management, food recovery and surplus food distribution. You'll know more about the the priorities that have been set, their...
Italy (Europe)
2019 - Coll.
Food production and ecosystem management, Food loss and waste - Reports & Case Studies
Farmers, fresh produce markets, food manufacturers and food retailers routinely generate surplus foods, meaning a food that is still perfectly edible and safe for human consumption, but exists, for example, because it has failed to meet aesthetic specifications, or is past its ‘sell by’ or ‘best before’ dates. Much of this food...
South Africa (Global coverage)
2018 - Coll.
Governance and planning, Sustainable diets and nutrition, Social and economic equity, Food production and ecosystem management, Food supply and distribution, Food loss and waste - Directories
This website presents inspiring initiatives in the world encouraging cities transition towards sustainable food systems. These initiatives can be driven by NGOs, the private sector or local governnemts.
(Global coverage)
2018 - Coll.
Food loss and waste - Reports & Case Studies
The aim of the present work is to elaborate an overview of the variety of practices that European cities are implementing to address Food Losses and Waste (FLW) issues. This document was discussed on 4th April 2018 in Amsterdam during the EUROCITIES Working Group Food and Waste joint meeting, at...
(Europe)
2018 - Andrea Magarini, Anja De Cunto, Elisa Porreca
Food loss and waste - Reports & Case Studies
The Municipality of Quelimane launched the “Quelimame Limpa” project to collect organic waste from urban food markets to dump in a compost-making facility managed by local associations. This valuable compost is then distributed to hundreds of gardens across the city. The project contributes to curbing the spread of diseases, to...
Mozambique (Africa)
2018 - FAO, EStà, City of Quelimane
Food loss and waste - Reports & Case Studies
The Municipality of Riga decided to turn a waste landfill called “Getlini” into an innovative and ecological waste management site where food waste is transformed into energy. The heat produced is used for greenhouses’ heating to produce off-season tomatoes, distributed through the primary supermarket chains to the citizens of Riga....
Latvia (Europe)
2018 - FAO, EStà, Municipality of Riga
Food loss and waste - Reports & Case Studies
The City of Bruges is providing guidance to two of its major hospitals to support them in their efforts to reduce food waste. This collaboration resulted from the city food guidelines drew up by local stakeholders through a bottom-up process.
Belgium (Europe)
2018 - FAO, EStà, City of Bruges
Food loss and waste - Reports & Case Studies
The Municipality of Milan developed a large range of actions to address food waste. These include: 1) a discount on the waste tax in favor of food businesses that donate their food losses to charities, 2) affiliation of school canteens to food banks to distribute surplus, 3) distribution of doggy...
Italy (Europe)
2018 - FAO, EStà, Municipality of Milan
Food loss and waste - Reports & Case Studies
The Municipality of Hebron implemented a market center to sell on a unique place the vegetables produced in the area in order to improve quality control and traceability, and to supervise compliance with standards for packaging and final pricing. The market center is directly linked to a compost facility, valorizing...
Palestine (Near East)
2018 - FAO, EStà, Municipality of Hebron
Food loss and waste - Reports & Case Studies
The Foodsavers platform collects and saves food that would otherwise have been thrown away by wholesale market sellers and local retailers. This food is then donated to social organizations in Ghent. By involving a network of food banks, social restaurants and social supermarkets, this platform aims at better matching supply...
Belgium (Europe)
2018 - FAO, EStà, City of Ghent
Food loss and waste - Reports & Case Studies
In the framework of the national programme “Zero Hunger” promoting the right to food in Brazil, Belo Horizonte created a food bank programme which redistributes food surplus or non-marketable food to people in need through partnerships with nonprofit social associations. Additionally, the food bank receives donations through the public Food...
Brazil (Latin America and the Caribbean)
2018 - FAO, EStà, City of Belo Horizonte
Governance and planning, Food production and ecosystem management, Food supply and distribution, Food loss and waste - Guidelines
This guide is part of a collective effort to provide motivation and support for those actors interested in building more sustainable food systems in urban contexts. This document has been developed under the framework of Foodlinks1, a European project where civil society organizations, policy makers and academics have come together...
(Europe)
2018 - Foodlinks
Food loss and waste - Guidelines
Globally, about one third of all food produced is lost or wasted along the management chain, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental issues, wasting tremendous resources in the production processes, and making recyclable materials in the waste stream harder to recover. As the human population urbanises and grows,...
(Global coverage)
2018 - Worlds Biogas Association, C40
Governance and planning, Sustainable diets and nutrition, Social and economic equity, Food supply and distribution, Food loss and waste - Methodology and Training Materials
This City Region Food System (CRFS) toolkit provides guidance on how to assess and build sustainable city region food systems. It includes support material on how to: define and map your city region; collect data on your city region food system; gather and analyse information on different CRFS components and...
(Global coverage)
2018 - FAO
Governance and planning, Sustainable diets and nutrition, Social and economic equity, Food production and ecosystem management, Food supply and distribution, Food loss and waste - Reports & Case Studies
This Catalogue highlights the best practices identified in the 6 metropolises associated with MADRE, in terms of farmers’ innovation, social innovation, consumer innovation, academic research, territorial innovation and transnational innovation. It aims at: - Mapping the key stakeholders of urban and peri-urban agriculture and connecting them at the Mediterranean level...
(Europe)
2018 - Interreg Med MADRE
Food supply and distribution, Food loss and waste - Guidelines
In the US, it is estimated that 63 million tons of food are wasted each year, with 40% coming from consumer-facing business, including hotels. Wasted food may generate as much as 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, be responsible for more than a quarter of all deforestation, and use nearly a...
(North America)
2017 - Coll.
Governance and planning, Sustainable diets and nutrition, Social and economic equity, Food production and ecosystem management, Food supply and distribution, Food loss and waste - Frameworks
In a constantly urbanizing world, city governments have come to play a crucial role in urban food policies. From among the challenges facing cities, ensuring food security for their residents is vital, and this must be achieved keeping in mind both the balance to be found between urban and rural...
(Global coverage)
2017 - R. Fages, N. Bricas
Governance and planning, Social and economic equity, Food production and ecosystem management, Food supply and distribution, Food loss and waste - Reports & Case Studies
This issue of the UA Magazine is a joint effort of the RUAF Foundation and the Centre for Agroecology Water and Resilience (CAWR). It aims to articulate and document the emerging field of urban agroecology. Definitions differ and tend to reflect the various ways the term agroecology is understood in...
Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Cuba, Ecuador, India, Italy, Netherlands (Kingdom of the), Spain, Taiwan province of China (Global coverage)
2017 - Coll.
Food loss and waste - Local Policies
The Food Systems Lab, under a Pierre Elliot Trudeau Foundation grant has dedicated a year to using the Social Innovation Lab model to bring together leaders from across sectors including food in policy-makers, food service and retail providers, schools, community food centres, Indigenous leaders, faith leaders, organizers, academics, growers, composters,...
Canada (North America)
2017 - Carriere, K.
Food loss and waste - Reports & Case Studies
Did you know that, hypothtically, up to 68 million more meals could be donated per year in Denver, Nashville, and New York City combined?
United States of America (North America)
2017 - Natural Resources Defense Council
Food loss and waste - Reports & Case Studies
How much food is wastad in hoseholds? Which are the most commonly wasted edible foods?
United States of America (North America)
2017 - Natural Resources Defense Council
Social and economic equity, Food loss and waste - Reports & Case Studies
There is nothing more shocking or ironic than the fact that up to 40 percent of the U.S. food supply goes uneaten each year,1 yet more than 41 million people lack a secure supply of food to their tables.2 Excess and scarcity rub elbows every day, leading to negative consequences...
(North America)
2017 - JoAnne Berkenkamp, Caleb Phillips
Food loss and waste - Methodology and Training Materials
This first-of-its-kind report by the Natural Resources Defense Council describes the results of a food waste baseline assessment study in three U.S. cities—Denver, Nashville, and New York City—for residential and non-residential sectors, including the industrial, commercial and institutional (ICI) sectors. The intent of the study was to characterize the amount...
(North America)
2017 - Darby Hoover
Food loss and waste - Academic Literature
Applying the conceptual frameworks of 'food distancing' (Clapp, 2012) and 'waste distancing' (Clapp, 2002), this paper investigates the issues of food consumption and food waste in urban Indonesia. The paper argues that the 'distancing' of food production via long-distance modern supply chains is connected to the growing issue of food...
Indonesia (Asia and the Pacific)
2017 - Soma, Tamarra
Governance and planning, Sustainable diets and nutrition, Social and economic equity, Food production and ecosystem management, Food supply and distribution, Food loss and waste - Directories
GAIN is commetted to sharing its learnings by publishing a variety of knowledge products, mainly about how food systems can improve diets for the most vulnerable . The "Reports and publications" section includes advocacy and policy documents, conference presentations and proceedings, peer-reviewed publications, programme, and project documents, as well as...
(Global coverage)
2016 - Working Group on International Nutrition
Governance and planning, Sustainable diets and nutrition, Social and economic equity, Food production and ecosystem management, Food supply and distribution, Food loss and waste - Reports & Case Studies
In 2015, the European Year for Development, the EU Commission decided to finance the Food Smart Cities for Development (FSC4D) project, which involves 12 urban areas over three continents which coordinated food policies and international cooperation activities until the end of 2016. The project is led by the city of...
(Global coverage)
2016 - Food Smart Cities for Development
Food loss and waste - Articles
This publication documents thirteen case studies from city regions around the world which are developing CRFS projects, programmes, and policies, including those related to the prevention, reduction and management of food waste. Lessons learned from the case studies for sustainable development of CRFS call for local, city regional, and (sub)...
Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, France, Sri Lanka, Sweden (Global coverage)
2016 - Marielle Dubbeling; Camelia Bucatariu; Guido Santini; Carmen Vogt; Katrin Eisenbei
Food loss and waste - Directories
Here at FoodCloud we are focused on re-distributing surplus food available from supermarkets, directly to charities addressing food poverty at a local level. After starting on our home turf in Ireland, over the last year we have scaled to feed people via 4000+ charities in the UK. It is a...
United Kingdom (Europe)
2016 - FoodCloud
Governance and planning, Sustainable diets and nutrition, Social and economic equity, Food production and ecosystem management, Food supply and distribution, Food loss and waste - Reports & Case Studies
This document is a companion guidance document to the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact including the Framework for Action. Three primary purposes, all equally important, gave direction to the process of gathering good practices and compiling them in a way that complements the Pact and Framework for Action: 1. The...
(Global coverage)
2015 - Milan Urban Food Policy Pact
Governance and planning, Social and economic equity, Food production and ecosystem management, Food supply and distribution, Food loss and waste - Local Policies
This website shows the Austin's food polic, from the Food Policy Board to Improving Food Access. Austin vision for its food system is a connected, protected and community-integrated one that benefits everyone. Learn more about the City of Austin’s efforts to create a sustainable food systemthis This report provides an overview of Austin’s...
United States of America (North America)
2015 - City of Austin
Governance and planning, Food production and ecosystem management, Food supply and distribution, Food loss and waste - Reports & Case Studies
The aim of this handbook is to share the key lessons learnt during the three years of exchanges and experiences of the network; to make it available to other cities and stimulate them to start a similar journey towards a more sustainable and localised food system. It is our hope...
(Europe)
2015 -
Food supply and distribution, Food loss and waste - Reports & Case Studies
The report focuses in addition on food surplus in the city, and the ways in which unwanted food is being redistributed to charitable organisations, providing not only financial benefit – saving money on food bills, or allowing better quality meals to be provided – but also an environmental benefit from...
United Kingdom (Europe)
2014 - Doireann Lalor
Governance and planning, Sustainable diets and nutrition, Social and economic equity, Food supply and distribution, Food loss and waste - Methodology and Training Materials
The Right to Food is enshrined within the South African Constitution. However, despite there being sufficient food available within the country, this right is not being met. Both nationally and within the City of Cape Town there are high levels of household food insecurity. The nature of food insecurity is...
South Africa (Africa)
2014 - Jane Battersby, Gareth Haysom, Godfrey Tawodzera, Milla McLachlan, Maya Marshak, Florian Kroll, Jonathan Crush
Governance and planning, Food production and ecosystem management, Food loss and waste - Local Policies
The Bristol Food Policy Council developed an action plan to champion progress towards Bristol becoming a healthier, fairer and more sustainable food city. The Good Food Plan (2015-2018) is in essence a planning and monitoring tool which will highlight the depth and breadth of food activity in Bristol. This will help...
United Kingdom (Europe)
2013 - Coll.
Governance and planning, Social and economic equity, Food production and ecosystem management, Food supply and distribution, Food loss and waste - Methodology and Training Materials
How can a city influence the food system? The first step is to understand how the food system operates and how the different elements are interconnected. The second is to understand the strengths and vulnerabilities in relation to food system sustainability and longer-term resilience. This article looks at how Bristol...
United Kingdom (Europe)
2013 - Joy Carey
Governance and planning, Sustainable diets and nutrition, Social and economic equity, Food production and ecosystem management, Food supply and distribution, Food loss and waste - Reports & Case Studies
The report is primarily a descriptive analysis of the food system serving Bristol. In addition, the report gives some global context, and in later chapters there is a discussion of resilience in relation to inputs, outputs and threats. It includes an analysis of the positive powers that Cities have in...
United Kingdom (Europe)
2011 - Joy Carey
Food loss and waste - Reports & Case Studies
The study highlights the losses occurring along the entire food chain, and makes assessments of their magnitude. Further, it identifies causes of food losses and possible ways of preventing them. The results of the study suggest that roughly one-third of food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted globally,...
(Global coverage)
2011 - Jenny Gustavsson, Christel Cederberg, Ulf Sonesson, Robert van Otterdijk, Alexandre Meybeck
Food loss and waste - Reports & Case Studies
MALAKAS! is a 40-minute documentary video that tells the story of how three barangays (villages) in Cagayan de Oro City in the Philippines were engaged in a community participatory process to design their own systems of organic waste management in support of local food production. The film and the project...
Philippines (Asia and the Pacific)
2010 - Jeannette Tramhel
Governance and planning, Social and economic equity, Food loss and waste - Regulation
In dedication to food security for Belo, Horizonte, Brazil the mayor decrees that the Municipal Food Bank will collect all extra food that is safe for consumption from farmers, commercial and industrial establishments, and other venues, to be distributed to vulnerable groups in the city. Partnerships with qualified companies and...
Brazil (Latin America and the Caribbean)
2003 -
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