Reducing food waste across the supply chain

Abstract

Food waste is recognised as one of the major environmental issues, globally. With a growing burden of global food insecurity coupled with economic and environmental impacts, food waste prevention has become a paramount consideration to achieve sustainability. Food waste has negative economic, social and environmental impacts and acts as a barrier towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Sustainable Development Goal target 12.3 (SDG target 12.3) aims to reduce food waste by 50% by 2030 throughout the food supply chain. To achieve SDG target 12.3 effective food waste reduction measures have to be implemented by all the players of the supply chain. This will require identifying areas where food waste is likely to occur as well as drivers and reasons for food waste generation along the food supply chain. This paper therefore seeks to identify drivers and possible actions that can be taken to prevent and manage food waste throughout the food supply.