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Why is reducing post-harvest food loss important for food security?

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A row of cattle with brown and black coats eat feed from a long trough in a South African feedlot, separated by wooden fencing. — Feed Feedlot cattle eating grain in an intensive animal farm in South Africa.

Reducing post-harvest food loss is a critical strategy for enhancing global food security, as approximately one-third of all food produced globally is wasted after it has been harvested.1

Addressing these losses is essential for several reasons:

Increasing Availability: Food security relies on the sufficient availability of resources to meet the nutritional needs of the world population. By minimizing post-harvest waste, a larger portion of the existing food supply reaches consumers, directly improving availability without requiring additional land or resources.1
Stabilizing Supply Chains: Sustainable food systems that prioritize efficiency are better equipped to withstand disruptions and fluctuations in the supply chain. Reducing loss helps maintain the stability of food access, which is a core component of food security.1
Economic and Nutritional Impact: High levels of food loss often correlate with economic inefficiencies. By ensuring that more harvested produce is utilized, societies can better support farmers' incomes and improve the affordability and accessibility of food for vulnerable households.1

Efforts to mitigate these losses are vital for ensuring that the global food system can reliably provide adequate nutrition for a growing population.1