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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

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