Investment opportunities and legislation frameworks on FLW. Some relevant FAO resources are available

Food loss and waste (FLW) is a global burden with a negative impact on the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. The loss and waste of food suitable for human consumption hampers food security and nutrition and hinders the realization of the human right to adequate food.

Regulatory measures to tackle FLW include establishing institutional mechanisms for coordination of action, allocating clear roles and responsibilities among all stakeholders involved and setting binding targets for the reduction of FLW. These can enhance the transparency and accountability of all actors relevant for the prevention and reduction of FLW throughout the food supply chain.

Opportunities for development banks

There is a wide range of actions that development banks can take to support governments and private companies in their efforts against FLW. First, reducing food waste begins with measuring it. Development banks can invest in data collection and analytics to help governments and companies understand better where FLW is occurring in specific value chains and country contexts.

At the policy level, development banks can work with governments improve laws and regulations that impact FLW. In many countries, laws could be improved to facilitate donations of surplus food by retailers to the food insecure and vulnerable. Development banks can also promote information sharing on food markets and food-related trade measures, to minimize the risk of disruption and wastage.

Know more through the following FAO resources: 

Enabling a legal environment for the prevention and reduction of food loss and waste - Legal brief (FAO. 2022)

Legislar para prevenir y disminuir las pérdidas y desperdicios de alimentos - Nota de orientación jurídica para parlamentarios en América Latina y el Caribe N. 10 (FAO. 2022)

Avances legislativos sobre prevención y reducción de pérdidas y desperdicios de alimentos en América Latina y el Caribe - FAO Estudio Legislativo N. 116 (FAO. 2021)

Development banks can play an important role in the transformation to less wasteful food systems - Article from FAO Investment centre (29 September 2022)

Investing in food loss and waste. What's in it for development banks? - Brief series under the FAO Investment Centre's Knowledge for Investment (K4I) programme (FAO. 2022)