The multidimensional socio-economic impacts of food losses and waste

Publication date: 23/03/2020
Extent: 20 pages

Contributions by: Abdallah Omezzine, University of Nizwa, Oman; Elhadi M. Yahia, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Mexico; and Camelia Bucatariu, Independent Researcher, Italy

Chapter synopsis: Food losses and waste (FLW) occur at different levels of the food supply chains and have significant social, micro and macroeconomic impacts. Current knowledge, from food supply chain level cost-benefit analyses up to scenario analyses with general equilibrium models, indicates that FLW have major socio-economic effects for all actors of the food systems, from primary producers to end consumers. This chapter shows that a coherent socio-economic and food system policy framework that adequately addresses cost-benefit analysis requirements would enable concerted allocation of financial, technological and human resources from public, private and civil society stakeholders to minimize global FLW.

DOI: 10.19103/AS.2019.0053.04