The United Nations (UN)’s International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste (IDAFLW) is annually observed across the globe on 29 September to raise awareness about reducing food loss and waste.
- The Food and Nutrition Organization of the UN (FAO) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) collaborate to facilitate the observance of the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste and jointly organize a global event.
- 29 September 2022 marks the observance of the 3rd IDAFLW.
The global event of International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste 2022 focuses on “Stop Food Loss and Waste! For People and Planet“.
Background:
i. The UN General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/74/209 on 19 December 2019 and declared 29 September as the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste.
ii. The 1st International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste was observed on 29 September 2020.
Significance:
The UNGA observes the IDAFLW to raise awareness of the importance of the problem and its possible solutions at all levels, and to promote global efforts and collective action towards meeting SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) 12 (responsible consumption and production).
Food Loss and Waste across the World:
i. According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), an estimated 14% of the world’s food is lost between harvest and retail; and an estimated 17% of total production is wasted (11% in households, 5% in the food service and 2% in retail).
ii. Food Loss and Waste (FLW) accounts for 38 % of total energy usage in the global food system.
Note: All the resources that were used to produce food – including water, land, energy, labour and capital – go to waste when food is lost or wasted.
Significance of Reducing Food Loss and Waste:
i. Reducing FLW is seen as a way to lower production costs, and improve food security and nutrition.
ii. The FLW contributes to environmental sustainability, notably by easing the pressure on natural resources and decreasing Green-House Gas (GHG) emissions.
SDG of FLW:
Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 12.3: “By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses” highlight the need to accelerate collective actions to reduce food loss and waste.
- SDG target 12.3 has two components, Losses and Waste that should be measured by two separate indicators: a Food Waste Index (FWI) and a Food Loss Index (FLI).
About the UN Environment Programme (UNEP):
Executive Director- Inger Andersen
Headquarters- Nairobi, Kenya
Establishment- 1972
