Workshop on Measuring Food Losses in Latin America and the CaribbeanOnline Event

Did you know that 13% of food was lost in 2021 between harvest or collection and its arrival on the shelves? This equates to 931 million tons or 120 kilograms per capita.

Virtual Event, 29/09/2025 - 01/10/2025

©FAO

Background

In the context of the Commemoration of the International Day of Awareness on Food Loss and Waste, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is inviting to the Workshop to the Workshop on Measuring Food Losses in Latin America and the Caribbean to learn the methodology for constructing the Food Loss Index (FLI), based on which countries could begin to report on their progress in their commitment to reduce post-harvest losses along their food chains by 2030.

During the meeting, statistical frameworks for data collection and information gathering along the value chain to measure loss percentages will be discussed. Will also provide a forum for countries that have worked on measuring food loss to share their experiences and key methodological strategies, facilitating the strengthening of national capacities aimed at reducing food losses.

Review the AGENDA

Day 1 - Monday 29 of September

Inaugural Session
09.30 – 10.30	Opening ceremony
10.30 – 11.00	Break
Session 1: ¿Why is it important to monitor food loss and how is it measured?
11.00 – 11.05	Dynamic interaction with the audience
11.05 – 11.35	Quick presentations: Causes of food loss and their effects on public policies, food security, climate change, etc. (Better Nutrition team at FAO) Laws and normative frameworks aimed at reducing food loss: the need to have data. (Better Nutrition team at FAO) Country experience: Argentina, FLW National Plan (Agriculture, Livestock and Fishing Secretariat of Argentina) Country experience: Brasil, FLW National Strategy (Ministry of Social Development) The technical assistance approach to measure SDG 12.3.1 in Latin America (Statistics team at FAO Regional Office)
11.35 – 12.30	Roundtable and discussion
12.30 - 14.00	Lunch
Session 2: From concept to a national strategy of measurement
14.00 – 15.30	Experiences of Mexico, Colombia and Peru
15.30– 15.45	Break
15.45 – 17.15	Experiences of Chile, Costa Rica and Paraguay
17.15 – 17.30	Closure

Day 2 - Tuesday 30 of September

Session 3: Data gathering
09.00 – 11.00	Experiences and results of Peru, Mexico and Colombia of data collecting pilots
11.00 - 11.15	Break
11.15 – 12.15	International experiences of data collection on farms through national agricultural surveys
12.15 – 12.30	Discussion about data collection of food loss through ENAS
12-30 - 14.00	Lunch
Session 4. Other tools and efforts to reduce food losses
14.00 – 14.30	The FLAPP, technical aspects, methodology and results (FAO’s Chief Economist Office)
14.30 – 15.00	Experience using the FLAPP to quantify and reduce losses on the field (DR)
15.00 – 15.15	Break
15.15 – 16.45	Regional initiatives to reduce losses and waste (FAORLC, BR, AR, CH)
16.45 – 17.00	Closure

Day 3 - Wednesday 01 of October

Session 5. Strategies to incorporate measurements of food losses in national statistics systems
09.00 – 10.30	General vision about the incorporation of data on SDG 12.3.1 in the SNE Mexico Colombia Peru
10.30 - 10.45	Break
10.45 - 11.30	Roundtable about the linkage between SNE and public policies with Argentina, Costa Rica, Uruguay and Chile
11.30 - 12.00	Interactive discussion on next steps
12.00 – 14.00	Lunch