Dominican Republic and Argentina bet on innovative technologies to reduce Food Loss and Waste

30/03/2026

Nearly one third of the food produced each year worldwide for human consumption is not consumed, amounting to around 1.3 billion tonnes. This contributes significantly to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, environmental pollution, the degradation of natural ecosystems and biodiversity loss. In addition, it represents a waste of the resources used in food production. Therefore, its reduction is essential to ensure efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems.

With this objective, FAO supported the development of the OptiWaste initiative in the Dominican Republic, whose goal is to improve nutrition and academic performance in school canteens; while in Argentina it promoted the implementation of the Food Loss and Sustainability Dashboard, which seeks to recover the value of food in wholesale markets.

OptiWaste: improved nutrition and academic performance in schools in the Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic ranks first among countries in Latin America and the Caribbean with the highest levels of household food waste, even above larger and more populated countries in the region, such as Mexico and Brazil. Food waste in the country is estimated at around 160 kilograms per person per year, according to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP, 2024).

Every day, more than 2 million students receive meals through the School Feeding Programme (PAE), managed by the National Institute for Student Welfare (INABIE). A study conducted in 2024 in 36 schools receiving the PAE reported that approximately 33 percent of the food intended for school lunches was wasted.

This situation was due to limitations in the training of food handlers and in lunch planning, affecting quality and compliance with recommended portions. In addition, some dishes had low acceptance among students. As a result, the efficiency of the PAE was affected, since the reduction in nutrient intake impacted students’ academic performance.

To address this problem, FAO, in collaboration with INABIE, and with the support of the Sustainable School Feeding Network, promoted by the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC) and the National Fund for Educational Development of Brazil, worked to strengthen staff capacities, improve food management and promote healthy eating habits and good hygiene and food handling practices. Together, they promoted the development of OptiWaste, a digital application designed to record, analyse and reduce food waste in educational centres. The tool is currently in the process of being implemented in pilot schools.

OptiWaste allows kitchen staff and school administrators to monitor daily the food served, leftover quantities and the causes of waste. Through reports and graphs, schools can identify patterns, adjust portions, plan more appropriate menus and make informed decisions to optimize food management. This approach contributes to improving the efficiency of the PAE, reducing costs and ensuring that students receive more balanced and complete meals.

“Reducing food waste begins with education, awareness and action from an early age. Initiatives such as the use of the OptiWaste application in schools not only allow us to measure how much is wasted, but also to foster more responsible students committed to sustainable agrifood systems. Every food item that is used is an opportunity to care for our resources, support those who produce and move towards a future with greater food security for all,” said Rodrigo Castañeda, FAO Representative in the country.

Deisy Medina, director of the Eugenio María de Hostos Educational Center, in La Altagracia province in the Dominican Republic, explains that, as part of the support for the initiative, the centre has a team of volunteers responsible for weighing and quantifying food upon arrival and non-consumed food, identified by food group. “This allows us to reduce waste and improve daily lunch planning,” she says.

The implementation of OptiWaste is carried out within the framework of the PAE Strengthening Project, which seeks to innovate in school food management and promote the active participation of the entire educational community. FAO provides technical assistance, training and follow-up, while INABIE leads operational coordination in schools. Directors, cooks, students and families actively participate in workshops and training sessions, learning to value food, record waste and propose improvements to menus.

Yenny Aristy, head of the nutrition education division at INABIE, commented: “This application will allow us to conduct analysis and evaluate the acceptability of the food offered in schools through the PAE, as well as learn how to manage waste efficiently.”

Initial results from the project show improvements in menu planning and a significant reduction in waste in pilot schools. In addition, students and staff have strengthened awareness of the value of food and the importance of minimizing its loss. These advances enable better use of resources and reinforce community trust in school feeding programmes.

With this tool, the Dominican Republic is advancing towards the transformation of its school food systems, strengthening student nutrition, promoting community participation and contributing to the global goal of reducing food loss and waste, a critical challenge highlighted by FAO worldwide.

Argentina’s Food Loss and Sustainability Dashboard: data that drives collective action

In Argentina, each person wastes an average of 91 kilograms of food per year, according to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP, 2024). In this context, a decade ago, different actors from the public and private sectors began to work in coordination to understand how to address this silent problem: food losses throughout the entire production chain.

In wholesale markets, tonnes of fruits and vegetables were lost every day due to lack of infrastructure, logistical failures or failure to meet aesthetic standards. These foods, which could have nourished families or supplied school canteens, ended up as waste.

In search of a solution, the Food Loss and Sustainability Dashboard was created, a tool promoted by the Food Bank Network and the National Plan for the Reduction of Food Loss and Waste, with technical support from FAO and the backing of national and provincial governments, as well as universities. The initiative seeks to measure, make visible and turn data into action: knowing where, how and why food was being lost was the first step to preventing it.

FAO’s role was key in providing technical assistance and linking with international experiences. And results are already visible. In several markets across the country, losses of fruits and vegetables have been significantly reduced thanks to improved handling practices, conditioning and redistribution of surpluses. At the same time, more than one hundred social organizations have begun receiving recovered food and meals.

“Raising awareness about the importance of reducing food loss and waste is everyone’s responsibility: from production, through transport, to consumption at home, that is, across all stages of the agrifood chain. For this reason, the dashboard is an innovative and necessary tool for implementing more efficient policies in the last mile, when the product reaches the consumer,” explained Laura Escuder, Programme Officer at the FAO Representation in Argentina.

The impact is also felt among those responsible for implementing policies to make the food production chain more efficient and sustainable. “Participation in the Dashboard is key to addressing food waste from a collective perspective. Measuring allows us to understand where opportunities for improvement are and to make data-based decisions. Sharing this information with the industry and even with our competitors shows that, when it comes to reducing losses and protecting food, joint work generates a much greater impact than any individual effort,” said Maximiliano Bordon, Loss Control Manager at Dia Argentina.

The implementation of these successful innovative technologies, involving the efforts of multiple actors to adopt concrete measures to quantify and reduce food loss and waste, is paving the way for replication in other countries.