Forum: Reducing waste will benefit agrifood systems, water security and climate

Every day, small, often-invisible losses accumulate. A crate of tomatoes spoils before delivery. A restaurant prepares more meals than will be served. A household discards food it never used. These ordinary moments carry an extraordinary consequence: They consume water we can’t afford to waste, thus accelerating the climate crisis.

Globally, one-third of all food produced is lost or wasted. Every piece of uneaten food represents a waste of water, land, energy and labour.

Agriculture uses 78 percent of the world’s freshwater. At the same time, a huge amount of this water never reaches the fields, with up to 40 percent of water lost through seepage alone.

Wasted food also accounts for 8–10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, with the climate crisis intensifying, preventing food and water waste is not just a sustainability issue – it is a climate action imperative.

This interconnected challenge was at the centre of the Zero Waste Forum held in Istanbul on 28 November under the patronage of Türkiye First Lady Emine Erdoğan.

The forum explored practical ways to curb both food and water waste and emphasized how doing so strengthens climate resilience – a particularly timely message as Türkiye prepares to host the Conference of the Parties (COP) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 2026.

The data shared at the forum revealed the scale of the challenge. A recent FAO report shows that per capita water availability in many parts of Europe and Central Asia has declined by 10–50 percent over the past two decades – especially in Central Asia and the Caucasus, where agriculture depends heavily on irrigation. Water infrastructure is under strain as well, in some cases leading to 30–60 percent water loss due to inefficient irrigation systems.

Climate risks aggravate these pressures. Each year, floods and droughts cause around USD 14 billion in economic losses across the region.

Reducing food loss and waste offers one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to ease pressure on water resources, while also strengthening climate resilience – a connection that guided the discussion at the forum’s High-level Ministerial Panel on Agriculture and Forestry, titled “Reducing Food Waste and Conserving Water: Safeguarding Our Future”.

Viorel Gutu, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Europe and Central Asia, stressed the importance of targeted data-driven action. He highlighted tools such as the FAO Food Loss App (FLAPP), which collects geo-referenced information on food losses directly from farmers, and OPTIWASTE, which measures food waste in canteens, restaurants and other public settings. By identifying with greater accuracy where and why losses occur, these tools allow governments and partners to direct resources where they can achieve the greatest impact.

Yet data alone is not enough. Lasting change happens when policies turn into practice and when sectors work together. The nationwide “Save Your Food” movement in Türkiye, launched jointly with FAO, shows how behaviour can shift when national authorities, municipalities, food businesses, schools and consumers act collectively.

In Georgia, new legislation on food loss and waste reduction and food donation networks – piloted in Tbilisi and Tskaltubo with FAO support – demonstrates how national commitments can translate into tangible solutions at the local level.

Across the region, concrete actions are helping reduce losses and build efficiency. Strengthened cold chains keep food fresh during transportation and storage. Modernized post-harvest handling, processing and distribution practices reduce food losses at the most vulnerable stages. Improved packaging extends shelf-life, while circular approaches – from composting to repurposing by-products – keep produce in use. Sustainable procurement practices in schools and public institutions set standards for efficient resource management. Awareness campaigns empower households to take part, showing that choices made at home reinforce progress made along the supply chain. Together, these measures help lower the water and carbon footprint of agrifood systems.

Gutu also underscored the pathways to faster progress. Scaling successful models requires investment. Sector-driven and local initiatives thrive when finance mechanisms are accessible. And partnerships across ministries, municipalities, businesses, academia and civil society create the continuity and ownership needed to sustain action.

The conclusion from Istanbul was one of optimism: We already have the knowledge and tools needed to reduce food and water waste. What is needed now is action at scale, guided by evidence, supported by policy and strengthened by cooperation.