Thumbnail Image

Special event of the FAO Science and Innovation Forum - Food Loss and Waste reduction: how can we better integrate science and innovation in our actions?

19 October 2022, 11:00 - 12:45

Year of publication 2022

Place of publication Rome, Italy ;

Pages 4p.

Author FAO

Publisher FAO ;

Product type Document

Synopsis (short abstract) Significant levels of food loss and waste (FLW) occur in the food supply chain from production to consumption. Globally, up to 14 percent of food produced for human consumption is lost from harvest up to but excluding retail, while 17 percent is wasted at the retail and consumer stages. FLW have negative impacts on food security and nutrition, occurring within a context where some 828 million people in the world are undernourished and 3.1 billion cannot afford a healthy diet. FLW contribute significantly to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, to environmental pollution, degradation of natural ecosystems and biodiversity loss, and represent a waste of the resources used in food production, such as energy, water and land. Reducing FLW helps address the challenge of promoting economic prosperity and sustainably feeding a world population projected to reach almost 10 billion in 2050, without accentuating pressure on the environment and the natural resources underpinning the agri-food system. Science and context-specific innovations are critical to catalyse, support and accelerate the transformation of agri-food systems to improve their efficiency, sustainability, inclusiveness and resilience, thereby leading to FLW reduction and contributing to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Innovations in this context include innovations in the policy, regulatory and institutional framework, as well as innovations in technologies, social and market relationships, finance products and business models that contribute to reducing FLW in a sustainable way (economically, socially and environmentally). On the other hand, science generates new insights and the basis for these innovations, while also serving to identify targets and actions for pathways towards reaching those targets. We need to capitalize on scientific and technological advancements to transform agri-food systems to be more efficient, resilient, sustainable and inclusive, leaving no one behind. Organized within the framework of FAO Science & Innovation Forum 2022, this event will gather perspectives and experiences from stakeholders from different parts of the world regarding applying science and leveraging innovation to sustainably reduce food loss and waste (FLW). The event will also discuss possible response options and make concrete recommendations to achieve lower levels of FLW at scale within a sustainable agri-food systems context.

Language English

Also available in:
No results found.

Related items

Showing items related by metadata.

  • Thumbnail Image
    Booklet
    FAO in Europe and Central Asia 2023 2024
    Also available in:
    FAO’s work globally and in the Europe and Central Asia region is guided by the FAO Strategic Framework 2022–2031, which articulates the Organization’s vision of a sustainable and food-secure world for all. The Strategic Framework seeks to support the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development through the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems for better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, leaving no one behind. With the Strategic Framework and the four betters as a lens, this report reviews and describes the project and the programme work of the Organization at the regional level and in each of the FAO programme countries of the region. For the Europe and Central Asia region, the year 2023 was marked by the tests of war, conflicts and natural disasters. The year began with the 6 February earthquake in Türkiye and Syria – the most severe to occur in Türkiye in a century – that directly affected an estimated 9.1 million people in the 11 hardest-hit provinces, and caused great loss of life. Additionally, the war in Ukraine continued to disrupt domestic, regional and world food markets and displace great numbers of people. The region also experienced extreme weather events. This report summarizes FAO’s achievements and accomplishments in Europe and Central Asia in 2023, including work to increase social protection, ensure climate action, improve conditions for youth and women and implement solutions based on science, innovation and digitalization. The first section of this report interprets FAO’s work in countries and regionally through the lens of the four betters, while the second summarizes the work completed in each country in 2023 and outlines ongoing efforts.The report captures snapshots of FAO's work in the Europe and Central Asia region. Short entries cover such topics as FAO's work on agrifood systems transformation, the digital and green transformation of agriculture to increase sustainable resilience, land banking and consolidation, the Digital Villages Initiative, Farmer Field Schools, precision agriculture, the One Health approach, fish health management, the One Country One Priority Product initiative, reduction of food loss and waste, women's empowerment and gender equity, youth empowerment, the Hand-in-Hand Initative, food systems controls, climate change action, mainstreaming biodiversity, the regional seed programme, management of agrichemicals, an overview of the fruit and vegetable sector of the Eurasian Economic Union, Agricultural Market Information and strengthening agrifood policy and market developments and resource mobililization.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Document
    FAO Science and Innovation Strategy 2022
    Also available in:
    The Strategy aims to strengthen FAO’s work on science and innovation by providing Organizationwide guidance, coherence and alignment on science and innovation. Science and innovation serve as a foundation for the FAO Strategic Framework 2022–31 and have cross-sectoral relevance across the Organization’s programme of work. Innovation and technology are two of the four accelerators of the FAO Strategic Framework 2022–31 intended to speed up progress and maximize efforts in meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). At the same time, science underpins all four accelerators (technology, innovation, data, and complements [governance, human capital, and institutions]). As such, science and innovation are integrated throughout the 20 Programme Priority Areas (PPAs), the accelerators, and cross-cutting themes. The vision of the Strategy is a world free from hunger and malnutrition, where the potential of science and innovation is fully leveraged to overcome complex social, economic and environmental challenges of agrifood systems in a globally equitable, inclusive and sustainable manner. The goal is for Members to harness science and innovation to realize context-specific and systemic solutions for MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind, in support of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Document
    International Day of Forests. Forests and Innovation
    21 March 2024
    2024
    Also available in:
    No results found.
    Systemic solutions based on science and innovations are critical for advancing more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agrifood systems. This is relevant in the context of promoting sustainable supply and use of forest ecosystem services through innovations; FAO promotes all key innovations (e.g. technological, social, policy, institutional, and financial). It is crucial for advancing a sustainable bioeconomy. Innovations related to forest and tree products, in particular, are highly relevant to provide alternatives to unsustainable materials like concrete, steel, plastics, and synthetic fibres. Forest products also help store carbon, increase the availability of feedstock for advancing a bioeconomy and support sustainable livelihoods. Transition towards sustainable production and consumption and more inclusive value chains thus helps meet climate, biodiversity, and the achievement of the sustainable development goals. This International Day of Forests (IDF) event organized by the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific highlights the relevance of innovations from the forest sector in Asia-Pacific to build a better world.
Show more

Users also downloaded

Showing related downloaded files

No results found.