International Food Loss and Waste Awareness Day
International Food Loss and Waste Awareness Day is held on September 29. This event in the third decade of the month September is annual.
On December 19, 2019, the UN General Assembly in Resolution 74/209 decides to designate September 29 as International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste (IDAFLW).
In a world where the number of people affected by hunger has been slowly increasing since 2014, and where tons and tons of food are lost or wasted every day, it is critical to reduce losses and waste.
Globally, about 14 % of the food produced is lost between harvest and retail. Added to this is the fact that approximately 17% of total food production is wasted (11% in households, 5% in foodservice and 2% in retail).
International Food Loss and Waste Awareness Day provides an opportunity to call for action by both the public sector (national or local authorities) and the private sector (businesses and individuals) to set priorities and move forward with innovation to reduce food loss and waste in order to restore and build back better and to achieve resilient food systems.