Leading food experts issue global agenda to halve food loss, waste by 2030
This effort is designed to guide businesses, governments, civil society and others in the food system to play an active role in tackling food loss and waste, individually and collectively.
New research from top food and agriculture experts suggests the world is at a critical moment in the fight against food loss and waste. The report, “Reducing Food Loss and Waste: Setting a Global Action Agenda,” finds momentum is building to address the 1.3 billion tons of food that is lost or wasted each year, but not yet at a pace needed. This report also proposes a global action agenda to meet the United Nations’ call to halve food loss and waste by 2030.
The report, produced by World Resources Institute, Washington, D.C., with support from The Rockefeller Foundation, New York, and in partnership with United Nations Environment, Kenya; Natural Resources Defense Council, New York; Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa; The University of Maryland’s Ed Snider Center, College Park, Md.; Iowa State University’s Consortium for Innovation in Postharvest Loss and Food Waste Reduction; Wageningen University and Research, The Netherlands; the World Bank, Washington, D.C.; and WRAP, UK, is designed to guide businesses, governments, civil society and others in the food system to play an active role in tackling food loss and waste, individually and collectively.
“There’s more public and private sector activity than ever, with 30 of the world’s largest global food companies setting targets to reduce food loss and waste, but we’re still falling short in major areas,” says Andrew Steer, president and CEO, World Resources Institute. “Halving food loss and waste by 2030 is critical if we’re to feed the world without destroying the planet. The 3-pronged agenda we’re urging gives the world a blueprint for success, with clear and specific action items everyone from crop farmers to hoteliers must take now to combat this waste.”