Human Wrongs Watch
Up to 1.3bn tonnes of food lost or wasted … yearly. Recent studies commissioned by UN Food Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimated yearly global quantitative food losses and waste at roughly 30% for cereals; 40–50% for root crops, fruits and vegetables; 20% for oilseeds, meat and dairy; and 30% for fish.
Source: FAO
Food losses refer to the decrease in edible food mass available for human consumption throughout the different segments of the supply chain, according to FAO report.
“In addition to quantitative losses, food products can also face a deterioration of quality, leading to a loss of economic and nutritional value. Food waste refers to food losses resulting from decisions to discard food that still has value,” it adds.
Retailers, Service, Consumers
“Food waste is most often associated with the behaviour of retailers, the food service sector and consumers, but food waste and losses take place all along food supply chains.”
Accurate estimations of the magnitude of losses and waste are still lacking, particularly in developing countries. Nevertheless, there is no doubt that the levels of food loss and waste remain unacceptably high.
Recent studies commissioned by FAO estimated yearly global quantitative food losses and waste at roughly 30% for cereals; 40–50% for root crops, fruits and vegetables; 20% for oilseeds, meat and dairy; and 30% for fish.
The SAVE FOOD Initiative
The SAVE FOOD Initiative is a joint campaign instituted by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations and Messe Düsseldorf GmbH to fight global food loss.
SAVE FOOD aims at networking stakeholders in industry, politics and research, encouraging dialogue and helping to develop solutions along the food value chain. One of its aims is to enlist the support of industry in initiating and sponsoring its own SAVE FOOD projects.
SAVE FOOD premiered in May 2011 with an international congress at interpack, the world’s most important trade fair for the packaging industry.
FAO is collaborating with donors, bi- and multi-lateral agencies and financial institutions (UNIDO, African Development Bank, World Bank, IFAD, WFP, EU) and private sector partners (the food packaging industry and others) to develop and implement the programme on food loss and waste reduction.
Learn more about SAVE FOOD Initiative here.
Read also:
Rising Voracious Consumption, Living as If We Had Two Planets
Food Inequality Equation: 1.5 Billion Obese; 925 Million Hungry
Demand for Life’s Essentials: 50% More Food, 40% More Energy and… 35% More Water
Save The Planet? Just Eat Cars, Drink Fuel!
The Seed Emergency – The Big Threat to Food, Democracy
Big Business Stealing Seeds, Devouring Life Cycle
Urban Population in 2050: 1.2 Billion in Africa, 3.3 Billion in Asia
2012 Human Wrongs Watch
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Baher Kamal
HUMAN WRONGS WATCH 
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