Tacking Food Loss and Waste with Storytelling

13 February 2019, Washington, DC - Planet Forward at the George Washington University organized a salon on tackling food loss and waste using storytelling. The discussion, moderated by Planet Forward creator and host Frank Sesno, featured Vimlendra Sharan, Director of FAO North America, Meghan Chapple from George Washington University’s Office of Sustainability, and Chip Bowling, Chairman of the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance.

Vimlendra Sharan emphasized that food loss and waste are massive global challenges. FAO estimated that one-third of all food intended for human consumption is lost or wasted. While food waste is a big challenge in industrialized countries, food loss is a bigger challenge in developing countries.

Chip Bowling underlined that farmers aim to reduce their food loss and that crops might be lost on-farm for different reasons. Farmers also tell stories about their families, who eat the same food they sell to consumers, as consumers want increased transparency.

Frank Sesno underlined that good storytelling around food waste requires characters and a conflict (internal/external/forces beyond control) to be solved. Conflicts need a resolution in which the outcome can be to reduce food waste.

The panel agreed that shame is not effective when it comes to changing behavior, while humor, emotions, and telling a story on food insecurity or sharing a personal anecdote is a compelling way to convey the real challenges of food waste. All across the supply chain, stakeholders must work together to curb food waste and better appreciate what we consume.