Food Losses and Waste: A Global Overview with a Focus on Near East and North Africa Region
Subject Areas : Environmental policy and managementسینیشا بریان 1 , روبرتو کاپونه 2 , فیلیپ دبس 3 , حمید البلالی 4
1 - Department of Agroeconomy and Rural Development, Faculty of Agriculture, University of East Sarajevo, 711123, East Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
2 - Sustainable Agriculture, Food and Rural Development department; International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies of Bari (CIHEAM-Bari), Valenzano (Bari), Italy
3 - Sustainable Agriculture, Food and Rural Development department; International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies of Bari (CIHEAM-Bari), Valenzano (Bari), Italy
4 - Sustainable Agriculture, Food and Rural Development department; International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies of Bari (CIHEAM-Bari), Valenzano (Bari), Italy
Keywords: Food Security, Food waste, Food Losses, Food system, NENA region,
Abstract :
Food losses refer to edible food mass decrease throughout the human food chain. Food losses occurring at consumption stage are called food waste. Food Losses and Waste (FLW) represent one of the most critical social, economic and ecological challenges facing humanity, besides being also an ethical issue. FAO data show that roughly one-third of food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted. There are no precise and accurate data regarding food waste in Near East and North Africa (NENA) region. The review paper aims at providing insights about the extent of FLW in NENA region with a special focus on Arab countries and Iran. The paper explores linkages between food waste and food security. Moreover, it analyses the economic and environmental implications of FLW. FLW vary depending on food type, country and season. Generally speaking, postharvest losses are significant in this region for most of commodity groups. It is estimated that FLW amount to 34% of food supply in NENA region. FLW undermine the very foundations of food security and amount to major depletion of resources (e.g. water, land, energy) and produce needlessly greenhouse gases. They also represent a wasted investment that reduces farmers’ incomes and increase consumers’ expenses. Therefore, food waste reduction is crucial for improving the sustainability of the food supply chain and achieving food and nutrition security in the region.
Abouabdillah, A., Capone, R., El Youssfi, L., Debs, P., Harraq, A., El Bilali, H., El Amrani, M., Bottalico, F., Driouech, N. (2015). Household food waste in Morocco: An exploratory survey. Book of Proceedings of the VI International Scientific Agriculture Symposium “Agrosym 2015”; 15-18 October, 2015; Jahorina, Bosnia and Herzegovina. ISBN 978-99976-632-2-1. pp. 1353-1360. DOI: 10.7251/AGSY15051353A.
Alef (2015). State’s ratifications on agricultural subsidies. Alef News Website, Iran, News No. 26993, 6 May 2015.
Ali Arous, S., Capone, R., Debs, P., Haddadi, Y., El Bilali, H., Bottalico, F., Hamidouche, M. (2017). Exploring household food waste issue in Algeria. AgroFor 2/1: 55-67. Retrieved from http://www.agrofor.rs.ba/data/20170221-08-arous%20at%20all.pdf
Aulakh, J., & Regmi, A. (2013). Postharvest food losses estimation. Development of Consistent Methodology. FAO, Rome. Retrieved from http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/ess/documents/meetings_and_workshops/GS_SAC_2013/Improving_methods_for_estimating_post_harvest_losses/Final_PHLs_Estimation_6-13-13.pdf
Aw-Dahir, M. (2015). Food security and nutrition in the Near East and North Africa Region (NENA): Challenges, priorities and policy processes. FSN Forum workshop, 10-11 December 2015. Rome, Italy. Available at: http://slideplayer.com/slide/9301531
Ayaronline (2014). 25 percent of the state’s annual date production is wasted. Ayaronline Broadcasting Website, News No. 63294, June 2014.
Bala, B., Haque, M., & Anower Hossain, M. (2010). Post harvest loss and technical efficiency of rice, wheat and maize production system: Assessment and measures for strengthening food security. Bangladesh Agricultural University.
Barilla, G. (2013). Food, a value to defend. In, Barilla Centre for Food and Nutrition (BCFN), Combating Waste - Defeating the paradox of food waste. pp. 4-5. Parma.
Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition (2012). Food waste: causes, impacts and proposals. Parma (Italy).
Bellù, L.G. (2016). Food losses and waste: Issues and policy options. FAO, Rome.
BIO Intelligence Service (2013). Modelling of milestones for achieving resource efficiency - turning milestones into quantified objectives: Food waste. Prepared for the European Commission, DG Environment, Brussels.
Bloom, J. (2007). The food not eaten. Food waste: out of sight, out of mind. Culinate, Portland, USA. Online available at: http://www.culinate.com/articles/features/wasted food, (last access: May 2009).
Business Monitor International (2015). Iran Agribusiness Report. May 2015. Kent, United Kingdom.
Capone R., Bennett A., Debs, Ph., Bucatariu C.A., El Bilali H., Smolak J., Lee, W.T.K., Bottalico F., Diei-Ouadi Y., Toppe, J. (2016). Food losses and waste: Global overview from a Mediterranean perspective. In, International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM) and Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), Mediterra 2016 “Zero waste in the Mediterranean: Natural resources, food and knowledge”; Presses des Sciences Po, Paris. pp. 193-242.
Chapagain, A., & James, K. (2013). Accounting for the impact of food waste on water resources and climate change. Food Industry Wastes, 217-236. DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-12-391921-2.00012-3
Charbel, L., Capone, R., Grizi, L., Debs, Ph., Khalife, D., El Bilali, H., & Bottalico, F. (2016). Preliminary insights on household food wastage in Lebanon. Journal of Food Security 4(6), 131-137. DOI: 10.12691/jfs-4-6-2.
Clay, J. (2011). Freeze the footprint of food. Nature, 475, 287-289.
COMCEC (2017). Reducing food waste in the OIC Countries. Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (COMCEC). Retrieved from http://www.mod.gov.tr/Lists/RecentPublications/Attachments/129/Reducing%20Food%20Waste%20in%20the%20OIC%20Countries.pdf
Davies, R.W.D., Cripps, S.J., Nickson, A., & Porter, G. (2009). Defining and estimating global marine fisheries bycatch. Marine Policy, 33, 661-672.
Di Terlizzi, B., Van Otterdijk, R., Dragotta, A., Pink, P., & El Bilali, H.(2016).Innovation for the reduction of food losses and waste.In, International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM) and Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), Mediterra 2016 “Zero waste in the Mediterranean: Natural resources, food and knowledge”; Presses des Sciences Po, Paris. pp. 281-301. Retrieved from https://www.ciheam.org/uploads/attachments/333/Mediterra2016_EN_BAT__1_.pdf
E’tedaal (2012). Record-breaking rice waste in Iran. Asadi S. (interview). E’tedaal News Broadcasting Website, 28 April 2012.
European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies (2008). Ethics of modern developments in agricultural technologies. European Communities, Brussels. ISBN 978-92-79-10646-0, DOI: 10.2796/13650.
Elmenofi, A.G.G., Capone, R., Waked, Sh., Debs, Ph., Bottalico, F., & El Bilali, H. (2015). An exploratory survey on household food waste in Egypt. Book of Proceedings of the VI International Scientific Agriculture Symposium “Agrosym 2015”; 15-18 October, 2015; Jahorina, Bosnia and Herzegovina. ISBN 978-99976-632-2-1. pp. 1298-1304. DOI: 10.7251/AGSY15051298E.
FAO (1981). Food loss prevention in perishable crops. In FAO Agricultural Service Bulletin, No. 43, FAO Statistics Division. Rome.
FAO (2004). The role of post-harvest management in assuring the quality and safety horticultural crops. FAO Agricultural Services Bulletin 152. Rome.
FAO (2012). Towards the Future We Want: end hunger and make the transition to sustainable agricultural and food systems. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Rome. Retrieved from http://www.fao.org/docrep/015/an894e/an894e00.pdf
FAO (2012a). Greening the economy with agriculture. Retrieved from http://www.fao.org/docrep/015/i2745e/i2745e00.pdf
FAO (2012b). Food loss prevention for improving food security in the Near East. FAO Regional Conference for the Near East (RCNE), Thirty-first Session, Rome, 14-18 May 2012; NERC/12/4. Retrieved from http://www.fao.org/docrep/meeting/025/md457E.pdf
FAO (2013a). SAVE FOOD: Global initiative on food losses and waste reduction: Key findings. Retrieved from http://www.fao.org/save-food/key-findings/en
FAO (2013b). Monitoring FLW essential to hunger fight. News article, 22 October 2013. Retrieved from http://www.fao.org/news/story/it/item/203149/icode
FAO (2013c). Report of the Expert Consultation Meeting on Food Losses and Waste Reduction in the Near East Region: Towards a Regional Comprehensive Strategy, FAO Regional Office for Near East and North Africa, Cairo.
FAO (2013d). Food wastage footprint: impacts on natural resources. Retrieved from http://www.fao.org/docrep/018/i3347e/i3347e.pdf
FAO (2013e). Food wastage footprint, impacts on natural resource, FAO Rome. Retrieved from http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/nr/sustainability_pathways/docs/Factsheet_FOOD-43 WASTAGE.pdf
FAO (2014). Reducing Food Losses and Waste in the Near East & North Africa Region. 32nd session FAO Regional Conference for the Near East, February 2014.
FAO (2011). Regional Priority Framework for the Near East. FAO Regional Office for the Near East, Cairo.
FAO (2015). Regional Overview of Food Insecurity - Near East and North Africa: Strengthening Regional Collaboration to Build Resilience for Food Security and Nutrition. FAO, Cairo.
FAO (2015a). Regional Strategic Framework - Reducing Food Losses and Waste in the Near East & North Africa Region. Cairo. Retrieved from http://www.fao.org/3/a-i4545e.pdf
FAO (2017). The future of food and agriculture – Trends and challenges. Rome.
Foresight (2011). The Future of Food and Farming. Final Project Report. The Government Office for Science, London.
Foresight (2011a). The Future of Food and Farming: Challenges and choices for global sustainability. Executive Summary. The Government Office for Science, London.
Garnett, T. (2011). Where are the best opportunities for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the food system (including the food chain)? Food Policy, 36, Supplement 1, S23-S32.
Giovannucci, D., Scherr, S., Nierenberg, D., Hebebrand, Ch., Shapiro, J., Milder, J., & Wheelern, K. (2012). Food and agriculture: the future of sustainability. A strategic input to the Sustainable Development in the 21st Century (SD21) project. New York: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Division for Sustainable Development.
Godfray, H.C.J., Beddington, J.R., Crute, I.R., Haddad, L., Lawrence, D., Muir, J.F., Pretty, J., Robinson, S., Thomas, S.M., & Toulmin, C. (2010). Food security: the challenge of feeding 9 billion people. Science, 327(5967), 812–818.
Grizetti, B., Pretato, U., Lassaletta, L., Billen, G., & Garnier, J. (2013). The contribution of food waste to global and European nitrogen pollution. Environmental Science & Policy, 33, 186-195.
Gustavsson, J., Cederberg, C., Sonesson, U., van Otterdijk, R., & Meybeck, A. (2011). Global food losses and food waste: Extent, causes and prevention. FAO, Rome.
Hall, K.D., Guo, J., Dore, M., & Chow, C.C. (2009). The progressive increase of food waste in america and its environmental impact. Laboratory of Biological Modeling, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland.
Henningsson, S., Hyde, K., Smith, A., & Campbell, M. (2004). The value of resource efficiency in the food industry: A waste minimisation project in East Anglia, UK. Journal of Cleaner Production, 12(5), 505–512.
High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (2011). Price volatility and food security. A report by the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE) of the Committee on World Food Security, Rome. Retrieved from http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/hlpe/hlpe_documents/HLPE-price-volatility-and-food-security-report-July-2011.pdf
High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (2014). Food Losses and Waste in the Context of Sustainable Food Systems. Rome. Retrieved from http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3901e.pdf
Hodges, R.J., Buzby, J.C., & Bennett, B. (2010). Postharvest losses and waste in developed and less developed countries: opportunities to improve resource use. The Journal of Agricultural Science, 149, 37-45.
Iranian Labor News Agency (2014). Waste of Bread Exceeds 30 percent / Turkey exports Iranian Food. Mortazawi A. (interview). Iranian Labor News Agency (ILNA) Broadcasting Website, News No. 204774; 16 Sept. 2014.
Ingram, J.S.I. (2011). From food production to food security: Developing interdisciplinary, regional-level research. Unpublished dissertation, Wageningen University. Retrieved from http://edepot.wur.nl/176450
Institution of Mechanical Engineers-UK (2013). Global food, waste not, want not. London. Retrieved from http://www.imeche.org/Libraries/Reports/IMechE_Global_Food_Report.sflb.ashx
Iran Economy News (2015). 30,000 Billion IRR subsidies approved for agriculture. Iran Economy News Website, News No. 19666, 22 June 2015.
Kader, A. A. (2005). Increasing food availability by reducing postharvest losses of fresh produce.
Acta Horticulturae 682, 2169–2175.
Kayhan (2015). Wasting of 15 billion cubic meters of water in food wastes. Keshawarz A. (interview). Kayhan News Broadcasting Website, News No. 37820; 16 February 2015.
Kummu, M., De Moel, H., Porkka, M., Siebert, S., Varis, O., & Ward, P.J. (2012). Lost food, wasted resources: Global food supply chain losses and their impacts on freshwater, cropland and fertilizer use. Science of the Total Environment, 438, 477-489.
Lipinski, B., Hanson, C., Lomax, J., Kitinoja, L., Waite, R., & Searchinger, T. (2013). Reducing food loss and waste. Working Paper, Installment 2 of Creating a Sustainable Food Future. World Resources Institute, Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://www.worldresourcesreport.org.
Lundqvist, J. (2010). Producing more or wasting less: Bracing the food security challenge of unpredictable rainfall. In, L. Martínez-Cortina, G. Garrido & L. López-Gunn (eds.), “Re-thinking Water and Food Security”, Fourth Marcelino Botín Foundation Water Workshop, Taylor & Francis Group, London.
Lundqvist, J., De Fraiture, C., & Molden, D. (2008). Saving water: From field to fork, SIWI Policy Brief. Stockholm International Water Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. Retrieved from http://www.siwi.org/documents/Resources/Policy_Briefs/PB_From_Filed_to_Fork_2008.pdf
Meeusen, M., & Hagelaar, G. (2008). Food losses: what do stakeholders think? A study of perception, attitude and behaviour of stakeholders to prevent food losses. Report (No. 2008-014), Landbouw-Economisch Instituut, La Hague, The Netherlands.
Mekonnen, M.M., & Hoekstra, A.Y. (2011). National water footprint accounts: the green, blue and grey water footprint of production and consumption. Value of Water Research Report Series (No. 50), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - Institute for Water Education (IHE), Delft, The Netherlands.
Nellemann, C., MacDevette, M., Manders, T., Eickhout, B., Svihus, B., Prins, A.G., & Kaltenborn, B.P. (2009). The environmental food crisis: the environment’s role in averting future food crises. UNEP rapid response assessment, United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP/GRID-Arendal, Arendal, Norway.
Parfitt, J., Barthel, M., & Macnaughton, S. (2010). Food waste within food supply chains: quantification and potential for change to 2050. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, 365, 3065-3081.
Rastegary, M. (2015). National outlook of food waste in Iran. Retrieved from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/national-outlook-food-waste-iniran-mehdi-rastegary
Ridoutt, B.G., Juliano, P., Sanguansri, P., & Sellahewa, J. (2009). Consumptive water use associated with food waste: case study of fresh mango in Australia. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences Discussions, 6, 5085–5114.
Ridoutt, B.G., Juliano, P., Sanguansri, P., & Sellahewa, J. (2010). The water footprint of food waste: Case study of fresh mango in Australia. Journal of Cleaner Production, 18(16–17), 1714-1721.
Rutten, M.M. (2013). The economic impacts of (reducing) food waste and losses: a graphical exposition. Wageningen School of Social Sciences (WASS) Working paper No. 7, Wageningen.
Rutten, M.M. (2013a). What economic theory tells us about the impacts of reducing food losses and/or waste: Implications for research, policy and practice. Agriculture & Food Security, 2:13. DOI: 10.1186/2048-7010-2-13
Salamat (2015). Why food waste is so much in Iran? Papizadeh A. (interview). Salamat Iran News Broadcasting. 30 May 2015. Retrieved from http://salamatiran.com/NSite/FullStory/?Id=81418&Type=2
Sassi, K., Capone, R., Abid, G., Debs, P., El Bilali, H., Daaloul Bouacha, O., Bottalico, F., Driouech, N., & Sfayhi Terras, D. (2016). Food wastage by Tunisian households. International Journal AgroFor, 1(1), 172-181. DOI: 10.7251/AGRENG1601172S.
Schott, A.B.S., Vukicevic, S., Bohn, I., & Andersson, T. (2013). Potentials for food waste minimization and effects on potential biogas production through anaerobic digestion. Waste Management & Research, 31(8), 811–819. DOI: 10.1177/0734242X13487584
Searchinger, T., Hanson, C., Ranganathan, J., Lipinski, B., Waite, R., Winterbottom, R., Dinshaw, A., & Heimlich, R. (2013). Creating a sustainable food future: Interim findings. A menu of solutions to sustainably feed more than 9 billion people by 2050. World Resources Institute (WRI), Washington, DC. ISBN: 978-1-56973-817-7.
Smil, V. (2004). Improving efficiency and reducing waste in our food system. Environmental Sciences, 1, 17-26.
Stuart, T. (2009). Waste: Uncovering the Global Food Scandal. Penguin. W.W. Norton Co, London.
Taamol (2014). 50 percent waste in fruits and vegetables. Taamol News Broadcasting Website; News No. 76742, 18 Aug. 2014.
Talebi, T. (2014). Study and pathology of Iranian bread industry. Report. Islamic Parliament Research Center, Teheran.
Tootyaii, A., & Soleimani, E. (2009). Report No. 11 on Consumption Patterns Reforms: Reducing the Agro-products Wastes. Islamic Parliament Research Center, December 2009.
United Nations Environment Programme [UNEP] (2012a). Avoiding future famines: Strengthening the ecological foundation of food security through sustainable food systems. A UNEP Synthesis Report. Retrieved from http://www.unep.org/publications/ebooks/avoidingfamines/portals/19/Avoiding_Future_Famines.pdf
United Nations Environment Programme [UNEP] (2012b). The critical role of global food consumption patterns in achieving sustainable food systems and food for all. A UNEP Discussion Paper. UNEP, Paris. Retrieved from http://fletcher.tufts.edu/CIERP/~/media/Fletcher/Microsites/CIERP/Publications/2012/UNEPGlobalFoodConsumption.pdf
Vanham, D., & Bidoglio, G. (2013). A review on the indicator water footprint for the EU28. Ecological Indicators, 26, 61-75.
Vermeulen, S., Campbell, B., & Ingram, S. (2012). Climate change and food systems. Annual Review of Environmental Resources, 37, 195-222.
Wirsenius, S., Azar, Ch., & Berndes, G. (2010). How much land is needed for global food production under scenarios of dietary changes and livestock productivity increases in 2030? Agricultural Systems, 103(9), 621-638.
World Bank (2011). Missing Food: the case of postharvest grain losses in Sub-Saharan Africa. The World Bank, Natural Resources Institute (NRI), FAO. Report Number 60371-AFR. Retrieved from http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTARD/Resources/MissingFoods10_web.pdf
United Kingdom’s Waste and Resources Action Programme (2008). The food we waste. United Kingdom’s Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), Banbury. Retrieved from http://www.wrap.org.uk/downloads/The_Food_We_Waste_v2__2_.99cb5cae.5635.pdf
