Latest UNECE tools to combat food loss and waste:
- Code of Good Practice: Reducing food loss and ensuring optimum handling of fresh fruit and vegetables along the value chain (ECE/TRADE/470)
What: The Code of Good Practice provides practical guidance on how to reduce losses and waste in fresh fruit and vegetable supply chains. With separate chapters for producers, traders, transporters and retailers, it is an easy to use resource for all actors in the sector.
Why: The perishable nature of fresh fruit and vegetables mean that loss and waste can be high in supply chains unless the produce is handled carefully by all actors along the chain. - Simply Measuring - UNECE food loss and waste measuring methodology for fresh produce supply chains (ECE/TRADE/453)
What: A simple methodology aimed to systematically measuring the food lost and wasted at several key points of the fresh produce supply chain. Building on existing methodologies used in assessments around the world and newly developed elements based on studies already carried out.
Why: A simple methodology can help all to continuously record food losses along the supply chain and collect valuable data on production, sales and losses to prevent, reduce, repurpose and redistribute food that is currently lost. - Minimum Quality Specifications (MQS) for Fresh Fruit and Vegetables
French Russian
What: The UNECE Minimum Quality Specifications (MQS) for Fresh Fruit and Vegetables (UNECE-MQS) developed by the Specialized Section on Standardization of Fresh Fruit and Vegetables provide a simple trading language that is easy to apply.
Why: The UNECE-MQS, when applied along the distribution chain, assure that the produce recipient will receive a product of marketable quality and suitable for human consumption, and that has all the necessary information about the product including country of origin. The use of the UNECE-MQS is voluntary, and it does not replace or compete with any existing standard or legal provision in any country.
Quality to prevent food loss and waste
UNECE’s quality standards for the safe and transparent trade of food and agricultural produce ensure that the consumers in rural and urban areas receive a constant supply of high-quality, healthy and nutritious food. Maintaining the quality of food traded from the farm to the shop through international best practice reduces losses, enhances the economic value of food trade, opens income opportunities and alleviates health risks for the more vulnerable city dwellers. The trade in and availability of good quality food is a prerequisite for sustaining the growing population and facing the climate and environmental challenges. In addition, creating sustainable employment in rural areas for woman and youth through the redistribution of food otherwise lost or wasted helps address the rural-to-city migration problem.
UNECE has addressed the food loss challenge since 2013 – including in view of enhancing the circular economy in its member states. Through the constant review of its quality standards for agricultural produce traded internationally and nationally, we ensure that the quality of the produce used and traded is maintained along the entire supply chain. Food loss is therefore prevented and reduced. We also focus on the food lost in the trade process before it reaches the consumer and even retail. These often-neglected hotspots for food loss are at heart of the work of our expert groups.
Our innovative solutions provide tools and holistic, impactful solutions for governments and the private sector and enhance the circular economy. Their core aim is to prevent, reduce and keep as much food as possible in the human consumption chain; repurposing and redistributing to feed all, create income possibilities and employment opportunities and support climate change action.
Resources:
UNECE’s quality standards for the safe and transparent trade of food and agricultural produce ensure that the consumers in rural and urban areas receive a constant supply of high-quality, healthy and nutritious food. Maintaining the quality of food traded from the farm to the shop through international best practice reduces losses, enhances the economic value of food trade, opens income opportunities and alleviates health risks for the more vulnerable city dwellers. The trade in and availability of good quality food is a prerequisite for sustaining the growing population and facing the climate and environmental challenges. In addition, creating sustainable employment in rural areas for woman and youth through the redistribution of food otherwise lost or wasted helps address the rural-to-city migration problem.
UNECE has addressed the food loss challenge since 2013 – including in view of enhancing the circular economy in its member states. Through the constant review of its quality standards for agricultural produce traded internationally and nationally, we ensure that the quality of the produce used and traded is maintained along the entire supply chain. Food loss is therefore prevented and reduced. We also focus on the food lost in the trade process before it reaches the consumer and even retail. These often-neglected hotspots for food loss are at heart of the work of our expert groups.
Our innovative solutions provide tools and holistic, impactful solutions for governments and the private sector and enhance the circular economy. Their core aim is to prevent, reduce and keep as much food as possible in the human consumption chain; repurposing and redistributing to feed all, create income possibilities and employment opportunities and support climate change action.
Resources:
- Food Loss and Waste - The case of Seed Potato certification and the UNECE Seed Potato Certification Standard
- Improved use of fruit and vegetables – Trade standards and a UNECE code of good practice
- Food Loss Causes and Concerns and the Interplay with Quality Standards (UNECE)
- Cosmetic specifications in the food waste issue: Supply chain considerations and practices concerning suboptimal food products
The economic and food security dimensionThe overall economic result of food loss and waste is immense and even larger for the vulnerable populations as food becomes less available or prices are affected leading to food insecurity. Financial resources are used to produce huge quantities of food that are never consumed and would be enough to feed the population. Therefore, there is a strong business and food security case for addressing the food loss/waste challenge.
Resources
- Taking stock of the food loss scenario - 2018
- Agro-trade, economic productivity and value additions – the case of food loss
- Inclusive and coordinated approaches for sustainable food value chains
- The Case of French Beans and Avocadoes Lost in Kenya
- Quantifying for the Prevention of food losses in Flanders- Belgium
- Quality food, safe food for increased food security and market access
- Global State of the Food Waste or Food Losses
The climate dimensionClimate change and food loss/waste are closely related. According to the latest estimates, 8% of the greenhouse gas emissions are caused by food that is lost and wasted. Food loss and waste impacts water and land resources and biodiversity.
Resources
- Loss of products, loss of biodiversity, climate change - Three problems, one solution
- Initiatives to fight food loss - what solutions do companies bring to the table
- Sustainable Consumption and Production, and the Save Food Programme