According to FAO, almost one-third of food produced for human
consumption – approximately 1.3 billion tonnes per year – is
either lost or wasted globally. Food losses and waste (FLW)
impact both food security and nutrition and the sustainability
of food systems, in their capacity to ensure good quality and
adequate food for this generation and future generations.
This report adopts a systemic perspective to analyze the
impacts of FLW on the sustainability of food systems and on
food security and nutrition. It reviews the wide range of causes
of FLW, identifying broad categories and levels of causes.
The report is deliberately oriented towards action. It provides practical elements for all concerned actors to identify, individually and collectively, their own set of possible solutions. It includes numerous examples, and proposes a “way forward” for actors to build strategies to reduce FLW in diverse contexts and situations.