REDUCING FOOD LOSS AND WASTE

Sept. 3, 2019

A new report titled “Reducing Food Loss and Waste” by the World Resources Institute (WRI) with the support of the Rockefeller Foundation has quantified global food wastage.

Key Findings:

Nearly one-third of the food that is produced globally each year goes uneaten, costing the global economy over $940 billion.
Most of the food loss happens “near the farm” predominantly in lower-income countries and most of the food waste happens “near the plate” predominantly in higher-income countries.
Roots and tubers are the food group that face the maximum wastage, at over 62% for 2007. Fruits and vegetables follow, with over 41%.
When viewed as a proportion, by weight, of all the food estimated to be lost and wasted globally, fruits and vegetables make up the largest share of total annual food loss and waste.
The uneaten food is responsible for emitting about 8 % of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
It put forward a Global Action Agenda that calls for developing national strategies for food loss and waste reduction, creating national public-private partnerships, launch supply chain initiatives, reducing small-holder losses and shifting consumer social norms.