Food Systems For Nutrition Innovation Lab
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AGCI Workshop: Reducing Food Loss and Waste – Dual Impact Actions to Address Climate Change and Improve Nutrition
June 3 - June 5
In June 2024, FSN-IL collaborated with the Aspen Global Climate Institute (AGCI), the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture/National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA/NIFA) to co-host the “Reducing Food Loss and Waste: Dual Impact Actions to Address Climate Change and Improve Nutrition” workshop. This interdisciplinary session aimed to identify novel approaches and innovations (i.e., technologies, processes, and policies) to mitigate post-harvest losses and reduce food waste. The workshop also provided guidance on developing policy and program recommendations to reduce food loss and waste (FLW) across the global food supply chain.
The three-day event brought together scientists, government officials, and private sector stakeholders to collectively ideate strategies and approaches to reducing FLW. This included an evaluation of current research, as well as identification of gaps and current needs in order to drive progress. In total, 34 experts from over 10 countries across a diverse range of sectors attended, including representatives from the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and more.
Workshop Objectives
Development of policy and programmatic recommendations (including possible financing options) to support sustainable food systems transformation with an emphasis on nutrient-dense foods in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC).
Development of policy recommendations towards reducing FLW in the US, including after foods have been delivered to consumers (e.g., identifying strategies to drive consumer behavior change).
Identification of innovations (technologies, novel foods, behaviors, preferences, policies, and processes), with potential for scaling to support reduction of FLW.
Generation of awareness of the negative effects of loss and waste of nutrient-dense foods on both economic development and nutritional status, and the flaws in our current supply chain.
Engagement of donor organizations, governments, and the private sector to allocate funding and resources for research projects and development programs to reduce FLW of nutrient-dense foods.
Elevation of need to address FLW to address multiple global issues (i.e., climate change, malnutrition, economic development).
Generation of framework for better quantifying FLW (aggregate and disaggregate), as well as recommendations for how to address key data collection gaps, including food losses (pre-harvest and post-harvest) in low- vs middle- vs high-income country contexts.
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