Swiss Comments on the HLPE study “Food losses and waste in the context of sustainable food systems”
- We commend the HLPE for the clear outline of this study, which needs to bring added value to existing scientific literature and policy recommendations on these complex and relevant topics, as for other HLPE reports.
- We recommend to give additional attention to the critical issue of “knowledge” in its various dimensions (knowledge generation / knowledge sharing / capitalization, etc.) in the recommendations : knowledge is a critical and necessary condition to technology adoption and to behavioral changes which are simultaneously required for addressing food losses and waste in the context of sustainable food systems.
- In our opinion, the report should focus on producing recommendations that benefit in priority to food insecure populations. Therefore, we invite the HLPE to look in more depth into food losses in staple food crops rather than in cold chains for vegetables and flowers in developing countries.
- It would be advisable to have an universally valid definition as well as a uniform approach to measure food losses and waste : we would therefore appreciate that the HLPE considers making a recommendation on both the definition and the way to measure food losses and waste.
- We would also welcome an explicit research focus on the gender dimension of food losses and waste to improve food and nutrition security in the context of sustainable food systems: men and women are differently impacted by food losses and waste, which they face with differentiated capacities, assets and support (public policies).
SwitzerlandChristina Grieder