The report timely comes after the publication of the UNEP Food Waste Index 2021 report and dives into the challenges of the West Asia region.
It sets out a comprehensive view of the current situation across the region, in which around 34 per cent of the food served is wasted, with an estimation ranging from 100 to 150kg/cap of food waste occurring at the household stage. Countries in the region have unique features from their culture, religion, history, generating significant amounts of food waste over short periods. For instance, during Ramadan, research shows that from 25 to 50 per cent of the food prepared is wasted. The report also elaborates on the outcomes of a survey to assess the attitudes and behaviours that determine food waste in the region, including the COVID-19 pandemic effects.
Collecting data on national food waste generation turned out as a main driver to understand the scale of the problem, target hotspots, and assess policy actions. Several countries of the West Asia region need consistent support in setting food waste baselines to track national progress towards 2030 and to report on SDG 12.3: only the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia conducted a national food loss and waste baseline led by the Saudi Grains Organisation in 2019.
The State of Food Waste in West Asia highlights the potential of promoting sustainable lifestyles and empowering youth to positively impact at the consumer level. Other key findings deal with the importance of raising awareness about the impact on the environment and food security, about the financial benefits of reducing food waste, as well as with promoting gender-inclusive strategies across the food value chain.
