Comprehensive training on tools and methods for measuring, analyzing, and reporting on food losses and waste

Time: 09:00 – 17:00 CET

International attention on the issue of food loss and waste (FLW) is firmly reflected in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Specifically, Target 12.3 of the Sustainable Development Goals, which embody this agenda, calls for the halving by 2030 of per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and the reduction of food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses.

Achieving this target requires that efforts are informed by a solid understanding of the problem – particularly, of how much and where along the supply chain various foods are lost or wasted. Indeed, comprehensive information about the levels of food losses and waste and of the critical loss and waste points will help shape the most appropriate mix of interventions and policies to reduce food loss and waste and provide evidence for investment decisions.

To this end, as part its regional effort to support countries in Europe and Central Asia in taking action to reduce food loss and waste and address the issue of data scarcity, FAO will conduct an online training aimed to improve FLW data availability and quality, while also introducing linkages between measurement, reporting, and analysis of data and interventions. Thus, the training will explore various tools and methodologies for collecting data developed and applied by FAO, UNEP, EC, WRI and IFWC, including: the Food Loss Index, Food Waste Index, EU methodology for quantifying food waste, Food Loss and Waste Protocol and Standard, case study methodology for critical loss points, food waste quantification and reporting methods for wholesale, retail and household levels, as well as EX-Ante Carbon-balance tool for analyzing the environmental and socio-economic performance of value chains from producers to retailers.

Integrating and employing different methods for data collection and analysis will enable counties to obtain comprehensive data along entire food supply chains and monitor their progress towards reaching the SDG 12.3.

The training is organised as part of FAO Multipartner Programme Support Mechanism (FMM) Project “Sustainable, resilient and inclusive food systems development”.