1,300,000,000
Tonnes of food—nearly one-third of total global production—are lost or wasted on average each year.
Global loss and waste for fish and seafood
Europe, Russia (35.9%)*
Australia, Canada, New Zealand, U.S. (50.5%)
Fishing/Fisheries
China, Japan, South Korea (42.0%)
Post Catch/Storage
Processing
Sub-Saharan Africa (37.7%) Distribution
North Africa, Middle East (34.6%) Consumption
South and Southeast Asia (40.2%)
Latin America (33.7%)
* % of total edible catch lost or wasted, including bycatch
exploring solutions How can we best reduce food loss and waste? That depends on the circumstances. In developing countries, the greatest opportunities lie in diversifying production; investing in infrastructure, transportation, food and packaging industries; and improving technical and managerial skills of people in charge of food handling and storage. It's important to note that large-scale investment in infrastructure—roads, storage facilities, etc.—alone has been shown to fail where markets and local investment are absent.
In developed countries, the most effective strategies include improving communication between producers and retailers to avoid overproduction; increasing awareness of food waste’s economic and environmental impacts; better labeling of perishable items; and finding ways to salvage safe, edible food that is currently thrown out. As the planet moves toward 9 billion people, feeding the world while protecting the environment is one of the greatest challenges we face. Reducing food waste and loss is a big step in the right direction.
SOURCES: Swedish Institute for Food and Biotechnology, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations PHOTOS: © SHUTTERSTOCK.COM: (From left) ra3rn, Peter Zijlstra, bogdan ionescu, nikkytok, Tijana, LockStockBob, thumb and holbox
FALL 2012
31