Experts Identified Barriers to Food Waste Goals
A new analysis highlights that current strategies fail to account for the specific needs of women in agriculture.
Updated on Sept. 29, 2026 in Organic Food
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Do you believe technological solutions are sufficient to solve the global food waste crisis?
As of September 29, 2026, experts determined that the world will likely miss the 2030 UN target to halve food loss and waste. Research suggests that technology interventions for smallholders frequently fail because they ignore critical gender-based constraints.
Why it matters
Addressing food loss is essential for combating climate change, reducing biodiversity loss, and improving global food security. Effective interventions require systemic changes that empower women through better market access and credit.
Approximately 13% of food is lost after harvest, while 19% is wasted at the consumer level. Meanwhile, post-harvest losses for vegetables average 10-15%, significantly below the 40-50% baseline modeled for root crops.
The players
Care
This humanitarian organization focuses on poverty alleviation and social justice with a strong emphasis on empowering women.
IFPRI
The International Food Policy Research Institute provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and hunger.
The details
Women perform up to 50% of post-harvest processing, yet often face limited land control and mobility. Success depends on strategies like offtake agreements and converting agricultural waste into biofertilizer to insulate farmers against price shocks.
Timeline
Between 2010 and 2016, food loss accounted for 8-10% of all global greenhouse gas emissions.
Last year, 645 million people faced hunger globally.
The deadline for the UN Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 is in 2030.
The target for a sustainable and equitable food system is set for 2050.
Culture Shift
This research highlights a transition from purely technological fixes to a more inclusive approach that prioritizes the economic empowerment of women. It signals a move away from top-down solutions toward localized, equity-focused agricultural policies.
Consumers can reduce personal food waste by adopting better storage habits for vegetables and root crops. These small adjustments at home contribute to reducing the overall demand on food systems, helping address the broader challenge of hunger.
The takeaway
Reducing food waste is not merely a technical challenge but a social one that requires prioritizing the needs of female smallholders. By addressing land and credit access, the global community can improve food security and lower emissions.
Further reading
For broader context on sustainable production methods, explore our Organic Food section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Nutritioninsight.
Live Poll
Do you believe technological solutions are sufficient to solve the global food waste crisis?
