Fighting food waste, one meal at a time

0:00Hello, this is Charlotte Dawson with UN News. Every day, more than a billion meals are thrown away, and this rotting food produces the greenhouse gas methane, which is responsible for around a third of global emissions overall. The UN Environment Programme UNEP warns that food waste and loss threaten food security, forests and sustainable agro-food systems in the world where millions are still going hungry. UN News's Dejan Penn in Nairobi spoke to Michael Moratha, a programme manager at UNEP, which is headquartered in the Kenyan capital, who makes the case for preventing and reducing food loss to benefit farmers, families, vulnerable communities and the planet. Food loss on the list put unnecessary pleasure on land, water and climate. An estimated 28% of wild agricultural land is used to produce food that is never eaten, while the water used to grow and prepare that food is also wasted. It is also important to mention that food loss and waste generate an estimated 8% to 10%

1:01of global greenhouse gas emissions. So when food discarded, this composes in land, it releases methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. Then it is also important to mention this is why preventing food waste is an important part of the United Nations Secretary-General Call to Action on methane, which calls for action across the world's food, agriculture and waste. And of course, we're speaking in Kenya, in Africa, where much food loss and also the same situation in many countries around the world, where much food loss occurs before products even reach consumers due to storage and infrastructure challenges among other issues. What immediate actions can countries take to reduce these losses? Thank you for that question. First, is to identify where the losses are occurring and invest in better drying, handling, airtight storage, reliable transport and market access. Globally around 13% of food is lost after harvest and before reaching retail. Secondly, strengthening coal chains for perishable foods is also important.

2:04In Kenya, a cooperative of 179 farmers in Nairobi was losing up to 40% of their crops after harvest before receiving coal storage and it refrigerated transport equipment. Sadly also, redirection saves supply of food to people who need it is really essential. In Kenya, a project supported by the UNEP-led climate and cleaning coalition is developing food banking plans to channel surplus food to early childhood education and decade centers in undisputed communities. Finally, putting an avoidable food waste to production is also important. The UNEP-supported projects across Africa to use what we call the Black Swedefly Lava to turn organic markets a waste into animal feed and fatalities. At 2025 report estimated this could create 25,000, 76,000 additional jobs in Kenya by replacing some conventional poultry feed with insect-based feed.

3:05Many African countries and other countries around the world continue to face food insecurity and the effects of climate change. How can reducing food loss and waste contribute to improving the situation of farmers, particularly when it comes to food security and building resilience here on the continent and in those other countries where it's an issue? Thank you. Reducing food loss on waste can contribute to food security, farmer incomes and resilience. An estimated 309 million people in Africa faced hunger in 2025. Also saving more of which harvest means more food can reach families and markets without requiring more land or water. For farmers, preventing spoilage also protects income. Nian Nairobi, coal storage and a refrigerated transport has helped 179 farmer cooperatives increase their incomes by 50%. Better storage can also help farmers cope with droughts, floods and periods of food scarcity while reducing losses of nutritious foods.

4:07So globally, 2.6 billion people cannot afford a healthy diet which includes fruits and vegetables. That's why it's really important to take these measures to preserve and reduce waste of food. Lastly, so to mention reducing losses alone will not end hunger, but it can be an important part of building more secure and resilient food systems alongside making nutritious food affordable and accessible. And Michael, are there any examples here in Africa or elsewhere around the world where people are using innovations or new technologies to reduce food waste? Yes, innovation can help different points where food is lost or wasted and it does not always have to be high tech. For example, air tight storage can protect our grain after harvest. In Brazil, favela, organica, teachers, communities, street vendors and chefs to use ingredients that are often discarded such as banana peels and broccoli stock.

5:08AI is also showing promise. In UNEP supported initiative involving 13 hotels, AI tools help measure discarded food and adjust purchasing and preparation, reducing post consumer breakfast waste by 62% in 4 months. UNEP is also exploring how AI can help households identify what they waste most plant meals around food. They already have an improved shopping and storage. Supermarkets can similarly use demand forecast and timely discounts to reduce and sold food. The key is that solutions where that simple digital must be affordable, practical and sweet to local needs. Michael, thank you so much. We've come to the end of the interview and of course, reducing food lost and waste is one of the sustainable development goals, the SDGs. If the world succeeds in achieving SDG 12.3 on reducing food loss and waste, what major benefits does UNEP expect for the environment, economies and communities going forward?

6:12Thank you very much. I will start with for economies. It could help reduce some of the more than $1 trillion lost globally each year through food loss and waste. There is also a strong economic case for prevention. Every $1 invested in preventing food waste, safe cities are $8 and households $84. For communities, it means more food-riching people and greater resilience when harvest, prices or supply chain are disrupted. It will not end hunger on its own, but it's an important part of building more secure and sustainable food systems.