Survey and Workshop on Preventing and Reducing Food Loss and Waste (FLW) to Achieve Sustainable Food Systems in APEC Economies

APEC Policy Partnershipon Food Security January 2025 APEC Project: PPFS 01 2023 Produced by Dr. Christiam Méndez-Lazarte Professor - ResearcherUniversidad de LimaEmail: cmendezl@ulima.edu.pe Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation - MIDAGRI Lizardo Calderón RomeroEmail: lcalderon@midagri.gob.pe José Luis AlarcónEmail: jalarcon@midadri.gob.pe Mónica Isabel Loayza PinedoEmail: mloayza@midagri.gob.pe For Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Secretariat 35 Heng Mui Keng Terrace Singapore 119616Tel: (65) 68919 600Fax: (65) 68919 690Email: info@apec.org Website: www.apec.org © 2025 APEC Secretariat APEC#225-PP-01.3 Index Index of Figure Index of Table Table 1. Example of food groups. Table 2. Examples of supply chain stages Introduction Food loss and waste (FLW) undermine the sustainability of global food systems. When food islost or wasted, all the resources used in its production—including water, land, energy, labor, andcapital—are also wasted. Additionally, the disposal of FLW in landfills contributes to greenhousegas emissions, accounting for 8–10% of global greenhouse gas emissions (United NationsFramework Convention on Climate Change, 2020), exacerbating climate change. FLW alsonegatively impacts food security and availability, increasing food prices (United Nations, 2022).The FAO says reducing food loss and waste (FLW) can significantly improve food availability andaccess (FAO, 2019). However, the impact of these reductions varies depending on the extent oftheir implementation and the stage of the supply chain where the interventions occur (FAO, 2011;FAO & World Resources Institute, 2019). Globally, approximately one-third of all food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted,which amounts to about 1.3 billion tons annually (United Nations, 2022). Post-harvest lossesfor fruits and vegetables can exceed 50% (FAO, 2011). According to FAO estimates, the foodlost and wasted each year could feed 1.26 billion hungry people worldwide (FAO, 2019). Thesefigures highlight the urgency of addressing FLW, especially in developing regions. One of the key challenges governments faces is the lack of detailed information about FLW andlimited institutional capacity to design and implement effective policies. In the context of APECmember economies, climate change continues to complicate efforts to reduce FLW. It is crucialto evaluate the measures implemented to address this issue and identify areas for improvement. Measuring the implementation of FLW policies presents a critical opportunity to advance reductionefforts across APEC economies. A well-designed measurement process enables better resourceallocation and regulatory adjustments, leading to substantial reductions in FLW over time. Byquantifying both the impact and the implementation of these policies, economies can ensuremore efficient use of resources and foster greater accountability. Progress in preventing and reducing FLW varies significantly across APEC economies. Moredeveloped economies have established stronger mechanisms to address FLW, while others faceconstraints such as limited resources and institutional capacity, which hinder the implementationof concrete actions. Understanding these disparities is essential for developing effective, region-wide solutions. This report contributes to ongoing efforts by focusing on four key dimensions essential for thesuccessful implementation of FLW policies: strategy and planning, leadership and governance,policy instruments, and measurement. These dimensions provide a structured framework forsystematically monitoring progress and verifying achievements in each area. The report alsoidentifies critical factors related to measuring FLW in APEC economies, such as differentdefinitions of FLW, the stages of the supply chain involved, the methodologies employed, and theclassification of food products affected. Moreover, the report presents an analysis of FLW policy implementation in nine APEC economies,highlighting progress, challenges, and best practices that can be shared across the region. Thestudy examines various indicators used to report FLW, enabling a more accurate and standardizedevaluation across member economies. In line with these goals, objectives of this report are to: •Assessthe current status of FLW policies in APEC economies,identifying gaps andopportunities in their implementation.•Develop a comprehensive framework for measuring FLW, utilizing indicators that reflectthe implementation of FLW processes, policy effectiveness, and data collection capacities,based on recommendations from international organizations such as the Inter-AmericanDevelopment Bank (IDB) and the FAO.•Facilitate the sharing of best practices and strengthen cooperation among APEC economies,helping member economies move towards a more coordinated and effective approach toreducing FLW. Background on the metrics. The implementation of policies for preventing and reducing FLW reduction across APEC econ