Reducing food loss and waste is critical for improving food security and nutrition, promoting resource efficiency, protecting the environment, and fostering a more equitable distribution of food resources around the world, according to QU Dongyu, director-general of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN.
QU Dongyu, director-general of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), stated that reducing food loss and waste is critical for improving food security and nutrition, promoting resource efficiency, protecting the environment, and fostering a more equitable global distribution of food resources.
The event, which included a message from Inger Andersen, executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and was organised by FAO and UNEP, emphasised the critical need for funding to help reduce food loss and waste, thereby contributing to the achievement of climate and Sustainable Development goals.
Currently, more than 13% of food is wasted in the supply chain after harvest on farms and before it reaches stores. Furthermore, UNEP figures show that 19% of food waste occurs at the retail, food service, and residential levels.
Furthermore, food loss and waste are responsible for an estimated 8 to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Food waste produces significantly more methane gas than carbon dioxide, which has an impact on the ecosystem.
The OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook Report for the period 2024-2033 estimates that by halving food loss and waste, worldwide agricultural greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced by 4% and the number of undernourished people by 153 million by 2030.
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