Technical Platform on the Measurement and Reduction of Food Loss and Waste
During this side event of the 153rd Council of the FAO (CL153), FAO, IFPRI, and CGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutions and Markets (PIM) will launch the Technical Platform on the Measurement and Reduction of Food Loss and Waste and highlight knowledge and concrete steps required to scale-up food loss and waste prevention and reduction. During the Turkish G20 Presidency, FAO provided significant inputs to the G20 work both on agriculture and development. In May 2015, the G20 Agriculture Ministers invited FAO together with IFPRI to establish a platform, building on existing systems, for sharing information and experiences in measuring and reducing food loss and waste. The Ministers strongly supported the Technical Platform on Food Loss and Waste as the major practical outcome of the meeting which was also endorsed by at the G20 Leaders Antalya Communiqué in November 2015. The Platform welcomes world-wide members and will also work on solutions for low-income countries.
FAO defines food waste and food loss in the following ways:
- Food loss: Food losses take place at production, post-harvest and processing stages in the food supply chain. Food losses are greatest in developing countries where agricultural technologies and infrastructure are less developed.
- Food waste: Food waste occurs at the end of the food chain (retail and final consumption stages) and relate to retailers’ and consumers’ behaviour. Food waste is most prominent in developed countries. Both food loss and waste is “measured only for products that are directed to human consumption,excluding feed and parts of products which are not edible.
The side event will provide an appropriate forum for the launch of the Technical Platform on Food Loss and Waste by FAO and IFPRI, allowing for discussion and concrete engagement in this action. The event will add to the political momentum for greater action coordination aimed at reducing food loss and waste globally. In 2014 FAO has set up the Global Initiative on Food losses and Waste Reduction with its partner organizations. The event will be crucial in raising awareness among member countries for the need to coordinate global efforts in measuring and reducing food loss and waste within the context of the Agenda 2030 and for Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12.3.
Presentations:
Welcome by the Chairperson, Presidency of the G20 (China);
Statement by FAO Director-General, Mr. José Graziano da Silva;
Statement by IFPRI Director General, Mr. Shenggen Fan;
Statement by Outgoing G20 Presidency (Turkey);
Brief technical presentation of the Platform by the Agro-industry Division, FAO;
Mr. Divine Njie, Deputy Director, Rural Infrastructure and Agro-industries Division;
Refreshments will be available outside the Iran Room from 15:30 onwards.