| Popis: |
Food losses and waste (FLW) are at the core of secure and sustainable food systems. A consistent quantification of the FLW across food supply chains at the global level, however, remains a major challenge. In this study, we compile a comprehensive database that assesses FLW across global value chains and quantifies the nutritional and environmental impact of lost and discarded food for 121 countries and 20 composite regions using a multi-region input-output framework. Our findings reveal a substantial increase in FLW across global regions between 2004 and 2014, with plant-based FLW being primarily concentrated in regions with poor recycling facilities. Nutritional losses have principally increased in low-income countries, with the global south accounting for over 70% of global land use, 82% of water use, and 76% of greenhouse-gas emissions embedded in FLW. Policies should focus on reducing domestic waste at the final consumption stage in high-income regions and on decreasing large farm-level losses in middle- and low-income countries. Here, while promoting the profitable reuse of unavoidable FLW, policies should increase agricultural production efficiency to enhance water and nutritional security. |
