What are the key message on the international day of awareness of food loss and food waste.

The United Nations General Assembly declared 29 September, as the International Day for Awareness of Food Losses and Food Waste. The aim is to promote awareness of food loss and waste day, examine root causes, extent of the problem, and explore solutions to reduce it. The event highlights the importance of global food loss and waste which is not only costly to the sector, but also impacts on human health, environment, natural resources and climate change. The day is meant to create awareness of the importance of preventing food loss and waste in relation to hunger related issues. It also aims to raise awareness among individuals, organisations, governments both nationally and internationally to develop programmes that optimise the use of agricultural output while reducing losses.

Most of the food produced in the world goes to waste. A US Department of Agriculture (USDA) report in 2010 shows that almost one third of all crops grown worldwide wilted or rotted before reaching the plates. It was estimated that $750 billion worth of food was wasted in 2009. Food loss and waste costs nearly $940 billion per year, which contributes 2% to annual global economic output. The UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) estimates that two thirds of all edible crops produced each year are lost or wasted globally.

According to the Rome-based UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), wastage of food is a major contributor towards climate change. Food waste emits 3.3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide, which is equivalent to adding one in every four cars on the road. Additionally, it releases other greenhouse gases such as methane and nitrous oxide, thus contributing to global warming. Moreover, food loss and wastage leads to depletion of natural resources such as land, energy and water that go into production of food that is lost or wasted.

Food waste happens along the entire agricultural value chain – from production through harvesting, quality control and storage to consumption – but also post consumption by households e.g.