Global Initiative on

Food Loss and Waste reduction

Alexandre Meybeck FAO

Agriculture and Rural Development Day

Rio de Janeiro 18th June 2012

Global Food Losses

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

cereals roots &

tubers

oilseeds &

pulses

fruits &

vegetables

meat fish &

seafood

dairy

products

Consumption

Distribution

Processing

Postharvest

Agriculture

FAO, 2011

Differences per regions

CEREALS

Differences per regions

FRUITS & VEGETABLES

Differences per regions

DAIRY PRODUCTS

Causes and Prevention of food losses and waste

In developing countries food gets lost due to: - Poor production planning - Production problems - Premature harvesting

Prevention:

- Organizing small farmers

- Diversifying and upscaling production and marketing

Improving the efficiency of the food supply chains

Causes and Prevention of food losses and waste

Poor storage facilities, packaging and lack of infrastructure

cause postharvest food losses in developing countries.

Prevention: investment in infrastructure, packaging and

transportation.

Causes and Prevention of food losses and waste

Unsafe food is not fit for human consumption and is lost.

Prevention: develop knowledge and capacity of food

chain operators to apply safe food handling practices.

Causes and Prevention of food losses and waste

Lack of processing facilities causes

high food losses in developing

countries.

Prevention: improve investment climate for agro-industry

develop contract farming linkages between processors and

farmer

Causes and Prevention of food losses and waste

- Large quantities on display and a wide range in

industrialized countries.

- Inadequate market systems in developing countries.

Prevention: Marketing cooperatives and improved

market facilities.

Causes and Prevention of food losses and waste

Small and medium scale food industry

in developing countries has no access

to good quality packaging materials

and technology

Prevention:

- Pre-packing and contract

packing

- Use of reconditioned 2nd hand

packaging machinery

Causes and Prevention of food losses and waste

In industrialized countries food gets lost when production

exceeds demand.

Prevention: Communication and cooperation between

farmers.

Causes and Prevention of food losses and waste

High ‘appearance quality standards’ from supermarkets for

fresh products lead to food waste.

Prevention: - Consumer surveys by supermarkets.

- Sales closer to consumers.

Causes and Prevention of food losses and waste

Abundance and

consumer attitudes lead

to high food waste in

industrialized countries.

Prevention:

Public awareness

Restore value of food

Save Food

-A Food systems perspective, with a Supply chain

approach

- It requires

- to assess causes and their specific impacts in a specific

situation

-to assess all costs and consequences of changes

-Viable business case for change

- This has to be done with all concerned stakeholders

-Partnerships

Global Initiative on Food Losses and

Waste Reduction – SAVE FOOD

PARTNERSHIPS

Interpack/ Messe Düsseldorf

Consortium of companies and institutions

in the food packaging industry

FAO / Save Food welcomes partners

to join the initiative

www.save-food.org

www.fao.org/save-food

Internal Collaboration and Partnerships

INTERESTED PARTNERS/ PARTIES International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)

World Food Programme (WFP)

African Development Bank (AfDB)

African Postharvest Losses Information System - APHLIS (Natural Resources Institute,

EU Joint Research Centre)

Donor countries – Germany, Switzerland, Norway

International Trade Centre (ITC)

AndinaPack – South America

BBC World Service

Wageningen University & Research Centre (WUR)

European Packaging Summit (World Trade Group)

Sustainable Packaging Coalition (GreenBlue)

World Water Forum / World Water Week (SIWI)

Global FoodBanking Network

Thank you