缅北禁地

Food waste in a recycle trash bag next to a soil
Photo:Elena/Adobe Stock

Stop food loss and waste. For the people. For the Planet.

Reducing food losses and waste is essential in a world where the number of people affected by hunger has been slowly on the rise since 2014, and tons and tons of edible food are lost and/or wasted every day.

Globally, around  of food produced is lost between harvest and retail, while an estimated of total global food production is wasted in households, in the food service and in retail all together

This  will highlight the critical need for financing to bolster efforts to reduce food loss and waste, contribute to achieving climate goals and advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

Get involved!

On this International Day, visit the and websites, consult its  and to solve food loss and waste, and spread the message through its material in 

Why is it important to reduce food loss and waste?

Food loss and waste undermine the sustainability of our food systems. When food is lost or wasted, all the resources that were used to produce this food - including water, land, energy, labour and capital - go to waste. In addition, the disposal of food loss and waste in landfills, leads to greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to climate change. Food loss and waste can also negatively impact food security and food availability, and contribute to increasing the cost of food.

Our food systems cannot be resilient if they are not sustainable, hence the need to focus on the adoption of integrated approaches designed to reduce food loss and waste. Actions are required globally and locally to maximise the use of the food we produce. The introduction of technologies, innovative solutions (including e-commerce platforms for marketing, retractable mobile food processing systems), new ways of working and good practices to manage food quality and reduce food loss and waste are key to implementing this transformative change.

With six years left to reach the target 12.3 of Sustainable Development Goal 12 (Responsible consumption and production), there is an urgent need to accelerate action to reduce food loss and waste.

Did you know?

  • While an estimated 735 million people go hungry globally, food loss and waste generate 8 to 10 percent of GHGs and is a methane hotspot.
  • Households waste over 1 billion meals worth of edible food every day, the equivalent of 1.3 meals every day for everyone in the world affected by hunger
  • Opportunities to finance food loss and waste reduction and low-carbon diets remain untapped, with only USD 0.1 billion invested annually in 2019/20. This represents a minor fraction of annual needs, estimated at USD 48 to 50 billion.

Apps to help us on the way

  • for small changes in our daily life
  • for helping farmers, companies, and cooperatives in their food loss goals.
Basket with food and cell phone screen with an app

FAO and UNEP will host a global virtual event on 27 September at 13:30 CEST in observance of the fifth International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste. Don't miss it! Check the  and click to!

One fresh apple among dozens of rotten ones.

Food loss and waste courses

 offers a course about  which will aid countries in reducing food losses along production and supply chains. 

For something closer to your daily life, such as food waste (which occurs in shops and at home), there is another course from 缅北禁地Climate Change: .

an abstract illustration of people engaged in an event

International days and weeks are occasions to educate the public on issues of concern, to mobilize political will and resources to address global problems, and to celebrate and reinforce achievements of humanity. The existence of international days predates the establishment of the United Nations, but the 缅北禁地has embraced them as a powerful advocacy tool. We also mark other 缅北禁地observances.

 

The world's farmers produce enough food to feed more than the global population yet, hunger persists. Food is the third most basic human need after air and water – everyone should have the right to adequate food. This  (16 October) advocates for the need of having a greater diversity of nutritious foods available in our fields, fishing nets, markets, and on our tables, for the benefit of all. Follow our live coverage for all the day’s events.