Abstract
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. It calls for all stakeholders – States, international organizations, private sector and civil society – to recognize food security and nutrition as a central dimension of sustainable food systems and to address collectively FLW to improve the sustainability of food systems and to contribute to food security and nutrition.
According to FAO, nearly one-third of food produced for human consumption – approximately 1.3 billion tonnes per year – is either lost or wasted globally. The HLPE makes the following recommendations as a way of making serious progress to reduce this figure.
The very extent of food losses and waste invites to consider them not as an accident but as an integral part of food systems. Food losses and waste are consequences of the way food systems function, technically, culturally and economically. This report analyses food losses and waste in a triple perspective: a systemic perspective, a sustainability perspective, including the environmental, social and economic dimensions of sustainability, and a food security and nutrition perspective, looking at how food losses and waste relate to the various dimensions of food security and nutrition.
The HLPE recommends that States and international organizations better integrate food chains and food systems perspectives in any food security and nutrition strategy or action. Reduction of FLW should be systematically considered and assessed as a potential means to improve agricultural and food systems efficiency and sustainability towards improved food security and nutrition. Direct and indirect causes of FLW in a given system should be analysed to identify hotspots where it would be most efficient to act.
The HLPE recommends undertaking four parallel mutually supportive tracks, in an inclusive and participatory manner:
1. Improve data collection and knowledge sharing on FLW.
2. Develop effective strategies to reduce FLW, at the appropriate levels.
3. Take effective steps to reduce FLW.
4. Improve coordination of policies and strategies in order to reduce FLW.
Original language | English |
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Publisher | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations |
Publication status | Published - 2014 |
Publication series
Name | HLPE - High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition |
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Publisher | A report by the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition of the Committee on World Food Security, Rome 2014. |
Bibliographical note
The full text is not yet available on the repository, however it can be found for free here:http://www.fao.org/cfs/cfs-hlpe/reports/report-8-elaboration-process/en/
Authors:
Pinstrup-Andersen , P.
Rahmanian, M.
Allahoury, A.
Guillou, M.
Hendriks, S.
Hewitt, J.
Iwanaga, M.
Kalafatic, C.
Kliksberg, B.
Maluf, R.
Murphy, S.
Oniang'o, R.
Pimbert, M. http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6214-8305
Sepúlveda, M
Tang, H.
Prakesh, V.
Ambuko, J.
Belik, W
Huang, J
Timmermans, A.
Gitz, V.
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Michel Pimbert
- Sustainability, Equity and Resilience Honorary and Visiting Researchers - Emeritus Professor
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