FAO and countries in the region are turning to innovation to reduce food loss and waste

In Latin America and the Caribbean, 11.6% of food is lost during the production and post-harvest stages. To address this challenge, countries in the region, together with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), are promoting the use of innovation and technologies to prevent and reduce food loss and waste, and to move toward more efficient and sustainable agrifood systems.

With that goal in mind, representatives from governments, parliaments, academia, the private sector, civil society, and international organizations participated in the “Regional Meeting: The Transformative Potential of Innovation and Technologies to Reduce Food Loss and Waste,” organized by the FAO.

Technical officials and speakers from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Mexico, Canada, Paraguay, the Dominican Republic, and Uruguay gathered alongside experts from FAO headquarters in Rome and the Regional Office, as well as parliamentarians, civil society representatives, and academics. The meeting aimed to strengthen cooperation and knowledge exchange to drive technology transfer, analyze regulatory frameworks and tax incentives, and share scientific and statistical evidence to help improve the measurement, prevention, and reduction of food loss and waste (FLW) in the region.

This initiative marks the start of a regional agenda for action, technical advocacy, and awareness-raising that will culminate on September 29—the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste.

Rene Orellana Halkyer, FAO’s Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean, noted that solutions implemented at the regional and local levels "demonstrate the existence of political will to bridge logistical gaps, strengthen the cold chain, connect producers and consumers, generate timely data, and make better decisions. This meeting acknowledges those advances and allows for the sharing of concrete experiences regarding policies, investments, and solutions applied across territories, value chains, markets, schools, and communities. The next step is to strengthen what is already working."

Meanwhile, Carlos Reutor, Congressman of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay and President of the PARLATINO Committee on Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries, highlighted: “This meeting is special and important because it allows us to move from concerns to tools. A regional technological assessment, digital measurement tools, legal guidelines, and statistical data are instruments that can help us make better decisions. After all, it is difficult to transform what we do not measure. And for technology to truly make sense, it must be placed at the service of every individual. We must ensure that innovation reaches our producers, our markets, our communities, and our households. We must ensure that every item of food produced has the best possible chance of fulfilling its intended purpose”.

"I hope we continue to see greater cooperation, better tools, and, above all, new partnerships to accelerate the transformation our region needs; because caring for our food means caring for our resources, and reducing waste constitutes climate action and a step toward a circular economy. Ultimately, it is about learning to grow in a smarter, more responsible, and sustainable way," stated Chile’s Minister of the Environment, Francisca Toledo.

The Challenge and the Role of Technology

In Latin America and the Caribbean, food loss and waste remain major challenges for the sustainability of agrifood systems, food security, and nutrition. While 153 million people experience moderate or severe food insecurity—according to the latest SOFI report—and one in four cannot afford a healthy diet, 11.6% of the food produced in the region is lost during the production and post-harvest stages. Globally, 19% of food available for consumption is wasted at the retail, food service, and household levels.

In light of this situation, the FAO promotes a transformation toward more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agrifood systems. It supports countries in adopting innovative solutions and technologies that provide data to measure and monitor losses, scale up innovations and technologies, and strengthen national capacities to prevent and reduce food loss and waste throughout the entire food supply chain. To this end, and in accordance with recommendations made by Member States during the FAO Regional Conference, science, innovation, and technology have become central to the organization's technical assistance.

Thus, the strategic agenda to be implemented by the FAO includes a Digital Toolkit on Food Loss and Waste—a set of resources designed to support countries and key stakeholders in Latin America and the Caribbean in their efforts toward this goal. This toolkit comprises the publication “Reduction and Prevention of Food Loss and Waste in Latin America and the Caribbean: Technological Assessment and Opportunities”, a new self-paced online course available on the FAO Campus, technical studies on regulatory approaches and best practices, legal guidelines, and statistical publications, among other resources.

Through this meeting, the FAO reaffirms its commitment to supporting countries in the region in building more sustainable agrifood systems, thereby contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals regarding Zero Hunger and Responsible Consumption and Production, as well as strengthening food security and nutrition for all.