Understanding Food Waste and How to Reduce It

The world is wasting and losing vast amounts of food. In 2011, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) estimated that one-third of all global food production is wasted, contributing significantly to environmental degradation and worsening food insecurity (Driven to Waste, 2021).

This is deeply concerning given that many people still go hungry, with one in three experiencing some level of food insecurity, according to the World Resources Institute (WRI).

Food waste also squanders the resources used to produce it. The land required to grow wasted food exceeds the size of China, and a quarter of the freshwater used in agriculture is effectively lost. Moreover, food waste accounts for up to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. If current trends continue, levels of food loss and waste are expected to double by 2050.

Insights from WRI and WWF reports

Three articles from WRI provide valuable insights into food waste and loss, while also presenting solutions. Together, they highlight opportunities for reducing waste at every stage of the supply chain, from farming and processing to retail and household use. They also showcase innovative businesses that turn waste into profit, creating jobs while protecting the environment.

The WWF report Driven to Waste: The Global Impact of Food Loss and Waste on Farms complements this work by examining the overlooked issue of food waste at the farm level.

The WRI article The Global Benefits of Reducing Food Loss and Waste, and How to Do It distinguishes between food loss and food waste. Food loss typically occurs early in the supply chain — during harvesting, storage, or transportation. Food waste, by contrast, appears later, at the retail or consumer stage. The article also outlines the drivers of food waste, the benefits of reducing it, and strategies for action across households, retailers, producers, and governments.

Another WRI article, How Much Food Does the World Really Waste? What We Know — and What We Don’t — explores how companies are reducing food waste. IKEA has reduced food waste by 54%, while Danone achieved a 20% reduction from its 2020 baseline. The article also cites national strategies, such as the UK’s initiatives and EU-wide policies.

Ultimately, “3 Businesses Transforming Food Waste into Profit” highlights innovative companies that address waste while generating economic and social value.

Businesses turning waste into opportunity

• Chanzi (Tanzania): This business uses black soldier fly larvae to convert food waste from markets and waste management companies into animal feed and fertiliser. The larvae provide a sustainable alternative to fishmeal and soybean meal, while the manure (frass) is used as crop fertiliser.
• EatCloud (Colombia): A digital platform powered by AI that connects supermarkets, restaurants, hotels, and other food providers with food banks and charities to streamline food donations at scale.
• WasteX (Southeast Asia): Founded in 2022, this startup helps farmers convert agricultural residues and manure into biochar. This improves soil quality, retains moisture, and boosts fertiliser efficiency, reducing the need for additional water and chemicals.

Farm-level waste: An overlooked challenge

The WWF report highlights the issue of food waste on farms, an often-overlooked stage of the supply chain. Historically, waste has been underestimated here due to the difficulty of measurement and the assumption that it is mainly a problem in developing countries, which lack adequate infrastructure.

However, the report shows that significant farm-level waste also occurs in developed nations.

Case studies reveal that consumer and market decisions downstream directly affect the amount of food wasted on farms.

The report argues that reducing food waste requires systemic changes across the entire chain — from production to consumption.