Rome – Reducing food loss and waste is crucial for improving food security and nutrition, promoting the efficient use of resources, protecting the environment, and fostering a more equitable distribution of food resources globally, QU Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) said today.
He made the remarks in a video message to a global virtual event to mark the fifth International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste which falls on Sunday (28 September). The event, which also included a message from Inger Andersen, the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and was organized by FAO and UNEP, highlighted the critical need for financing to help reduce food loss and waste and thus contribute to achieving climate and Sustainable Development goals.
Currently, over 13 percent of food is lost globally in the supply chain after harvest on farms and before the retail stages. Furthermore, food waste, occurring at retail, food service and household levels stands at 19 percent, according to UNEP statistics.
Additionally, food loss and waste account for an estimated 8 to 10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. The methane gas produced by food loss also has far greater potential to trap heat tha