Food loss and waste: a complex issue requiring a complex approach

Food loss and waste has become an issue of great public concern, as it puts unnecessary pressure on the environment and natural resources. However, it is a much more complex problem, as food loss and waste also impacts the broader socio-economy, including income distribution in the value chain, food security, food quality and safety, and nutrition. Therefore, the reduction of food loss and waste is part of the greater food system and sustainability nexus.

By reducing food loss and waste, we can improve the efficiency of our food system, contribute to better food security and nutrition, and improve environmental sustainability and economic growth. Research has found that the financial benefits of efforts to reduce food loss and waste often significantly outweigh the costs.[1]

 The third International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, observed on 29 September, is a great opportunity to learn about the measures that can and should be taken by both public and private sectors and to join efforts with others to cut food loss and waste effectively. After all, due to the magnitude and complexity of the problem, a holistic and multidisciplinary response is required.

Comprehensive approach to reducing food loss and waste in Europe and Central Asia

The role of governments in creating an environment that enables other sectors to act is fundamental. Interventions at this level include revising and improving institutional and legal frameworks to facilitate the reduction of food loss and waste by private actors.

To support countries in the region in this regard, FAO has analysed legislation and policies that affect food loss and waste management in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Republic of Moldova, North Macedonia, Türkiye, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. In collaboration with key stakeholders, FAO has developed national strategies on food loss and waste prevention and reduction.

In Georgia, FAO has prepared a set of recommendations for the Government on appropriate measures to aid food business operators in donating food to charitable organizations and. Together with the Agrarian Issues Committee of the Parliament of Georgia, FAO also helped draft Georgia’s Law on Food Loss and Waste.

FAO’s practical guide supports decision-makers in establishing and developing efficient food recovery and redistribution systems.

As part of an effort to address data scarcity in the region and help stakeholders make informed decisions about appropriate interventions and policies to reduce food loss and waste, FAO has carried out a training on various tools and methodologies for collecting and analysing data on food loss and waste, including tools developed and applied by FAO, the United Nations Environment Programme, the European Commission, the World Resources Institute and the International Food Waste Coalition.

Some countries in the region – Türkiye, in particular – have begun implementing national strategies requiring food businesses to introduce innovative models that help improve methods for the production, conservation and distribution of food. The private sector has the resources and capacities to develop and implement effective, market-based solutions if key elements of the environment are in place, such as informed policies, sound food industry strategies and access to sustainable choices. FAO has helped develop guidelines and recommendations for action for national food business operators in the retail and hospitality and food service sectors in Türkiye that propose measures to reduce food loss and waste along the whole value chain.

However, the issue cannot be solved without people changing resource-intensive consumption patterns. With 74 kg of food waste per person happening in households each year,[2] consumers have the power to either mitigate or worsen the situation, and FAO can help them make sustainable and healthy choices.

The national “Gidani Koru” campaign, carried out jointly by FAO and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in Türkiye, has reached more than 21 million people with the support of metropolitan municipalities, Unite Nations agencies, foreign missions, social impact groups, major players in food production, retail and hospitality sectors, media agencies and public figures and influencers. The campaign, combined with interventions at the policy level and by food businesses, has resulted in the reduction of food waste caused by overcooking from 22 percent to 13 percent. In addition, the number of people who compost wasted food has grown from 3 percent to 6 percent in one year.

FAO encourages people in both the public and private sectors to use the momentum of the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste to spread the word and help others understand the issue, driving the necessary change in behaviour towards a sustainable future for all.

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Media Contact: 

Oksana Sapiga

Communications and partnership consultant

SAVE FOOD - Initiative on Food Loss and Waste Reduction

FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia

Budapest, Hungary

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