Food Loss and Food Waste | WFP and FAO

In October, the Ministry of Agriculture launched the "No Food Waste" initiative with the support of FAO and WFP. The initiative is aligned with the national food security strategy and aims to roll out a number of interventions to provide an in-depth understanding of the issue of food loss and waste, raise awareness, and foster positive and responsible production and consumption behavior. Through a comprehensive food systems approach, the initiative will embrace innovative ways to achieve its goals.

The Minister of Agriculture, said that this plan comes at a time when Jordan and the rest of the world are facing unprecedented food security challenges. Such challenges are exacerbated by the increased cost of energy, repeated waves of refugees, high food prices, a lack of water, the economic repercussions of the pandemic, and the Russian-Ukrainian war.

It is worth noting that food waste in Jordan is estimated at 93 kg per person every year, which translates to 955 thousand metric tons of food that could feed 1.5 million people for a whole year. At the level of food loss, it is estimated that 22 percent of locally produced fruits and vegetables are lost along the different nodes of the supply chain. The figures are quite alarming, especially in a country that is water and energy-deficient. In depth analysis of the food value chain and consumption behavior should provide answers to where, how much, and why food is lost or wasted. Globally, one third of food produced is lost or wasted, enough to feed 1.26 billion hungry people.

WFP and FAO are working jointly with the Ministry of Agriculture on a comprehensive action plan to define short, medium, and long term interventions to achieve the objectives of the "No Food Waste" initiative. Collective and orchestrated efforts are required by all concerned partners from the government, private sector, local communities, and UN agencies for effective interventions. To that end, a comprehensive mapping exercise will be carried out to identify active and potential stakeholders in this area.