Food loss and waste (FLW) is one of the key areas under SP4 and BN4 as well as the MPI on Resilient Food Systems in RAP. FAO is well positioned as a global knowledge leader on food loss and waste and many of the other regions already have a tailored regional strategy on FLW reduction. In reponse to the last two APRC's as well as in line with the ZHC, and more recently the new FAO Strategic framework, this publication provides a basis for FAO and others to understand the scope and depth of FLW issues, how these can be addressed, including some good practices from Thailand, China and Nepal. As a multidisciplinary publication, it includes strong elements on policy and statistics with FAO as leading a convenor on SDG 12.3 on FLW measurement and reduction, highlights the scope and opportunities for FLW reduction as part of climate change efforts and also in terms of improved nutrition. It builds upon the analysis and advice of the SOFA 2019 on food loss and waste and identifies key pillars for interventions as well as recommendations for the technical as well as policy/decision makers in the Asia Pacific region. It is strongly linked to the FAP Global Programme on food loss and waste being implemented by headquarters.

This catalogue aims to improve the dissemination and outreach of FAO’s knowledge products and overall publishing programme. By providing information on its key publications in every area of FAO’s work, and catering to a range of audiences, it thereby contributes to all organizational outcomes. From statistical analysis to specialized manuals to children’s books, FAO publications cater to a diverse range of audiences. This catalogue presents a selection of FAO’s main publications, produced in 2023 or earlier, ranging from its global reports and general interest publications to numerous specialized titles. In addition to the major themes of agriculture, forestry and fisheries, it also includes thematic sections on climate change, economic and social development, and food safety and nutrition.

Food loss and waste within Indonesia's supply chains present significant challenges to both environmental sustainability and efficient natural resource utilization. [Author] This pervasive issue spans from food production to retail, affecting the ability of supply chain stakeholders to invest in essential infrastructure improvements. [Author] Food waste, in particular, accumulates at various stages, including retail, catering services, and households, further straining natural resources and exacerbating climate change impacts. [Author] In Indonesia, the reduction and prevention of food losses assume strategic importance as it directly impacts food availability, accessibility, and the well-being of consumers. [Author] Additionally, it alleviates pressure on natural resources, supports the growth of agribusiness, and enhances the livelihoods of farmers and other actors along the supply chains. [Author] Key factors closely linked to addressing food losses in Indonesia include finance, technology, knowledge, and market dynamics. [Author] Alarmingly, horticultural commodities, especially vegetables, experience losses exceeding 60 percent. [Author] Minimizing food losses not only bolsters productivity for agripreneurs but also improves food security and nutrition for all, from vulnerable smallholder farmers to micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). [Author] To address these challenges, Indonesia has enacted national law No. [Author] 13/2020 on horticulture, encompassing fruits and vegetables, with the aim of creating jobs, enhancing production, productivity, quality, added value, competitive advantage, and market share. [Author] In a recent study conducted between June and December 2022, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Center of System, a logistics research institution, analysed food losses in chili, cabbage and shallot supply chains. [Author] These commodities, predominantly cultivated by smallholder farmers, play a vital role in stabilizing food prices, controlling regional inflation, and ensuring food availability and accessibility. [Author] The study not only identifies the extent of quality and quantity losses but also provides practical solutions for their reduction. [Author] Crucially, enhancing the implementation of hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP), good manufacturing practices (GMP), and good hygiene practices (GHP) is emphasized, particularly during harvest, transportation, handling and storage. [Author] Recommendations include establishing post-harvest technical assistance facilities, agrologistic centres, and value-added processing facilities to mitigate losses due to quality degradation. [Author] Furthermore, the abstract underscores the need for innovation in technology, private-sector investment, and raising public awareness as decisive elements in substantially reducing food loss. [Author] In conclusion, addressing food loss is paramount for enhancing food security, supporting sustainable livelihoods, and fortifying the overall food system in Indonesia. [Author]

Asia is not only the largest producer of important food items like rice and vegetable oil, but also the largest importer of commodities like soybeans and corn. Additionally, more than half the world's population lives in Asia and thus the largest number of food insecure people are also in Asia. Food security is therefore a matter of paramount importance in Asia.This is the only book of its kind that will explore the range of important issues affecting food security in Asia since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Highlights include discussions on the current state of production on food of vital importance to Asia such as rice, vegetable and fish, as well as information on their future trends in production and consumption. Two case studies are presented on how the two most populous countries in Asia — China and India — have tackled their food security. Topics which are an integral part of food security and not often addressed in a food security book include nutrition security, novel foods and food waste valorization. This is also the only book about Asian food security which will include specific chapters on the technologies that are likely to determine the future of food security in Asia, as exemplified by digital technology, biotechnology, physical technology like recirculating aquaculture systems, nutrition enhancing technology, and urban agriculture.Organized into four themes, the issues captured here are of special importance to Asian decision makers in policy, research, development, investment and education in the 'new normal' post-pandemic. As Asia is inextricably linked to the global food and trading systems, Food Security Issues in Asia will also be of interest to those outside the Asian region who need to understand Asian food security.

This publication i) illustrates how costs and benefits of energy interventions including their impacts along the agrifood value chain can be measured at country level, ii) applies the analysis to 11 country case studies, iii) identifies barriers, possible solutions, business models and success factors for the adoption of energy technologies, and iv) draws general recommendations for investors and decision makers. This report summarizes the analysis and main findings stemming from the FAO project “Investing in Energy Sustainable Technologies for the Agrifood Sector” (INVESTA). FAO has been working together with GIZ and partners of the international initiative Powering Agriculture: An Energy Grand Challenge for Development (PAEGC) since 2014. PAEGC, also partnered by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), supports the development and deployment of clean energy innovations that increase agriculture productivity and stimulate low carbon economic growth in the agriculture sector of developing countries to help end extreme poverty and extreme hunger.

The first comprehensive review of the causes and prevention of food losses and waste (FLW), bringing together leading experts from around the world. Multi-dimensional approach in addressing the problem of FLW from a range of perspectives: key stages in the supply chain, different types of commodity and different regions in the world. Valuable case studies from different regions on practical measures to tackle FLW.

The publication looks at innovations happening at all stages of the food value chain: from production to manufacturing and retailing. This also includes the extended value chain, for example input supply, financial services and agribusiness support services. Yields are improving and primary production is becoming more resilient as a result of digital technologies such as precision agriculture, agricultural drones, and digital farming services and marketplaces; and novel business models such as plant factories, crowdsourcing for farmers. Data and robotics help lift productivity and food safety in the manufacturing process. Online grocery commerce and food delivery services are revolutionizing the way consumers purchase food. Distributed ledger technology, such as blockchain, allows making payments and tracing back food products along the chain in order to increase transparency and trust. New business models are springing up to shorten the chain by removing or shifting stages and to make it fairer and greener, stimulated by enabling technologies and changing customer behaviours. Innovations such as these are discussed and illustrated by almost 200 practical examples from 21 countries in the Asia-Pacific region, across various types of firms and commodities. By observing emerging trends and providing concrete examples, the book discusses the nature of these innovations, how they are affecting food systems and value chains, positively or negatively, and how to deal with trade-offs. It concludes with a reflection on the impacts of these innovations, the policy solutions identified, and lessons learned to future-proof the region’s food systems, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This evaluation assesses the extent to which FAO adopted an effective, coherent and transformative approach to its work on climate action from 2015 to 2020, by contributing to the achievement of SDG 13 targets and the Paris Agreement. The methodology included portfolio analysis, quantitative content analysis of over 500 documents, participatory stakeholder workshops, desk reviews, interviews with 488 stakeholders, analysis of key FAO products, 3 global surveys, and 13 country case studies. The evaluation’s findings are (i) FAO’s Strategic Framework is aligned with SDG 13 and the Paris Agreement. However, FAO has not expressed a long-term vision on its leadership role in agriculture for climate action; nor does FAO governance yet reflect a clear and strategic focus on its mission on climate action; (ii) The 2017 Climate Change Strategy has effectively supported FAO’s work, but it is not fully integrated into corporate decision-making; (iii) FAO has made relevant contributions by supporting national capacity building for climate action; (iv) FAO’s contributions to SDG 13 and the uptake of products and tools are not systematically monitored and reported; (v) There is little alignment of portfolios between divisions and no systematic approach to trade-offs. Consequently, the root causes of climate change on agriculture are not being addressed in an integrated way; (vi) FAO has strong capacity, but the current business model results in uneven distribution of human and financial resources and in fragmented, short-term projects reach; (vii) FAO contributed to climate adaptation and mitigation by collaborating with Members and other partners, although it has engaged less in innovative partnerships with the private sector, financing institutions and civil society; (viii) FAO has progressed on the inclusion of gender-specific climate action initiatives. The recommendations of the evaluation include developing a corporate narrative on climate change and food systems; formulating a new Climate Change Strategy and action plan; improving the climate change labelling of its project portfolio; mainstreaming climate action into all offices, divisions and levels, and including coordination and guidance to embed procedures in the project cycle, quality assurance and learning mechanisms; adopting a climate action-focused programmatic approach; running an assessment to identify capacity gaps, needs and opportunities and, accordingly, strengthening the capacity of staffing, funding and inter-office communication; enhancing its partnerships and seeking out innovative partnerships; and mainstreaming the core “leave no one behind” by including women, youth, the extreme poor, indigenous peoples and other vulnerable groups.

Mohamed Aheeyar, International Water Management Institute, Colombo, Sri Lanka Nilanthi Jayathilake, International Water Management Institute, Colombo, Sri Lanka Camelia Bucatariu, Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy Maren Reitemeier, International Water Management Institute, Colombo, Sri Lanka Ayomi Bandara, International Water Management Institute, Colombo, Sri Lanka Felix Thiel, International Water Management Institute, Colombo, Sri Lanka Pay Drechsel, International Water Management Institute, Colombo, Sri Lanka

Mapping stakeholders and their potential roles for prevention and reduction of food waste (FW) supports a coherent, coordinated and complementary approach to quantification, causes identification, and scaling up of feasible solutions for significant returns on investment. State and non-state stakeholders were mapped in selected municipalities: Colombo metropolitan area (Colombo, Sri Jayewardenepura-Kotte, Negombo, Kaduwela, and Moratuwa Municipal council areas), Jaffna, Kandy, Batticoloa, Kurunegala, and Galle. Stakeholders were grouped into four clusters: producers, enterprises/food business operators, private/public/civil society organizations, and households. The stakeholders’ maps guided sensitization and capacity-building sessions whose conclusions fed into the preparation of the National Roadmap on Urban Food Waste Prevention and Reduction for Households, Food services, Retailers, and Wholesalers launched on 17 August 2021. According to the analysis, the institutions working on food and/or (bio-)waste can be divided into governmental, semi-governmental, private, and non-governmental. Food safety, quality control, and waste management in Sri Lanka is under the umbrella of the Central Government, Provincial Council (PC), and Local Authorities (LAs) that cover governance (e.g. policies and regulations), production, trade, input supply, services, welfare support, and research. However, duties and responsibilities are, sometimes, crosscutting and interrelated with overlaps that can lead to poor coordination. An array of institutions at central and provincial levels are engaged to strengthen the food production sector in Sri Lanka. The existing inter-institutional coordination mechanism could be improved. The coordination for knowledge generation and dissemination between national and provincial systems should be strengthened. The report was produced for the project "Innovative approaches to reduce, recycle, and reuse FW in urban Sri Lanka", implemented under the oversight of the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) from June 2019 to August 2021.