Reducing food losses: steps and strategies for involving the horticultural chain

By  Daniela Bacchi Bartholomeu Bonato 

Far beyond a logistical problem, the loss of food during post-harvest ends up being a fundamental element in the search for food security. It is estimated that the world population is expected to reach 10 billion people in 2050, which means a 25% increase in population in around 30 years.

This means that more food must be available to meet this growing demand. Producing more food implies the need for greater use of natural resources, such as new areas destined for agriculture and more intense use of water resources. Thinking about alternatives to reduce this impact on the use of natural resources ends up being fundamental for the sustainability of the planet and could be key to ensuring that problems related to malnutrition and food insecurity do not deepen in the coming years.

In this sense, alternatives for measuring and reducing food losses and waste have gained importance. Ultimately, food losses and waste represent an inefficiency in the production system, as they imply significant economic, social and environmental losses, both direct and indirect. The United Nations Food Organization (FAO) estimates that around 1,3 billion tons of food are lost or wasted annually. This represents an annual economic loss of approximately US$1 trillion. On a social level, this lost quantity could feed the 815 million individuals who are currently facing hunger in the world, equivalent to 12% of the world's population (Belik, 2018). Furthermore, by reducing food supply, losses end up increasing prices, making access more difficult for the neediest populations. At the same time, it also means the corresponding loss of land, water, energy and other inputs for agricultural production, in addition to the generation of waste and the emission of polluting gases.

Internationally, a number of countries have recognized the importance of the subject and adopted actions and programs aimed at reducing food losses and waste, such as the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Italy, France, Argentina, Costa Rica, Panama, among others. (Rosseto, 2018). Within the scope of the UN, the 2030 Agenda envisages “reducing global per capita food waste by half, at the retail and consumer levels, and reducing food losses along production and supply chains, including losses post-harvest” until 2030 (UN, 2019).

A step prior to establishing reduction targets is the identification and quantification of losses, which are essential for programs or actions to have effective results. Detecting and pointing out measures linked to the measurement, identification and minimization of losses can potentially benefit various groups in society, such as producers, agents linked to the logistics of transporting agricultural products and the end consumer themselves (ESALQ-LOG, 2019). In this sense, the Agroindustrial Logistics Research and Extension Group (ESALQ-LOG) developed the “Post-Harvest Loss Information System – SIPPOC”, a platform Online available for consultation with free access that provides indicators and calculators of post-harvest losses. The starting point of the project, carried out with the support of the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP), was the identification of logistical bottlenecks that harm the competitiveness of Brazilian products, which reduce the availability of food that reaches the consumer and which increase the final price of the product (ESALQ-LOG, 2019).

In this context, this analysis seeks to answer the following question: how can the productive sector actually get involved in the search for greater efficiency and lower losses?

In practice, there is no need to wait for national, regional or sectoral programs to become involved with the topic. Each agent, individually, should obtain significant gains simply by starting to look more carefully at the subject, trying to identify the steps and activities, within their scope of action, that cause losses (Figure 1). Once identified, the second step is to quantify the losses, so that it is possible to have a more accurate diagnosis to define goals and mitigation strategies. At this stage, the introduction of innovations in the way of doing things in relation to status quo are very important and can bring surprising results. Once the goals and strategies for reducing food losses have been defined, they must then be disseminated to the entire team that will be involved in the process (if necessary, by offering training). Although it may seem simple, keeping people engaged can require time and persistence. Once the actions have begun, monitoring must be constant, seeking to collect indicators that help in evaluating the results achieved. If losses were reduced, the adopted strategy was successful and, therefore, can be maintained, eventually reevaluating the established goals. Otherwise, a new strategy must be adopted, encompassing a new set of actions to be employed.

Below, some strategies for reducing losses at some stages of the vegetable supply chain are suggested.

Final Words

Despite being a global problem, the effectiveness of the results of the search for reducing food losses ultimately depends on local actions. Each reality is unique and requires different solutions to the problem. Solutions that are not necessarily linked to increased costs due to the acquisition of new equipment or technology. On the contrary, most of the time, they are quite simple solutions, which emerge with creativity and a desire to change. Regardless of the path, strategies and actions that are defined in each case, the important thing is that the result, if positive, will generate greater economic efficiency directly for the agents involved (in the form of greater revenue) and indirectly for society (in the form greater availability and lower food prices). Furthermore, it will also be more efficient for the environment, as natural resources are being effectively used in the production of food that reaches the consumer's table. And, speaking of the consumer, this is another extremely important agent in the search for awareness and engagement in the problem, given the proportions that food waste has gained, especially in higher-income countries.