Awareness Can Help Reduce Wastage In Perishables

With 10 years left to achieve 'Target 12.3' laid down by the United Nations of halving the rate of food loss and waste by 2030, logistics service providers must do their bit to employ technology to reduce wastage in the handling of perishables not just for increased profitability, but also for the environment, Blessy Chettiar takes stock of how technology and regulation can help the cause.

- Blessy Chettiar

On September 25, 2015 the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Four years later, this month (September 24-25, 2019), leaders of the world will meet at the United Nations Headquarters in New York to follow up and comprehensively review progress in the implementation of the Agenda.

Among the 17 SDGs, goal 2 is to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture, while the other 16 relate in varying degrees to attaining prosperity, peace, protection and sustainability for all. The 'Target 12.3' in the SDGs calls for halving the rate of food loss and waste by 2030. Is this goal achievable? How can the logistics industry help in reducing wastage especially in the perishables supply chain?

Each year, 1.6 billion tonnes of food worth about $1.2 trillion is lost or goes to waste — one-third of the total amount of food produced globally. This accounts for eight percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Resources Institute.

With around 10 years leftto hit the target, the call to action is stronger than ever. A new research released at the 4th annual World Food Summit in August this year, suggests the simple ‘Target-Measure-Act’ approach to guide stakeholders to take an active role in tackling food loss and wastage. The World Food Summit held in Copenhagen, Denmark deliberated on the theme ‘Better Food for More People’ and the report ‘Reducing Food Loss and Waste: Setting a Global Action Agenda’ hopes to inspire stakeholders create a sustainable food future.