The Silent Famine: Addressing Asia Pacific’s Hidden Emergency of Food Loss and Waste
On Thursday, May 8, 2025, the Asia-Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions (APAARI) hosted an essential webinar as part of the Community of Practice on Food Loss and Waste (FLAW) initiative. The session, titled “The Silent Famine: Asia Pacific’s Hidden Emergency of Food Loss and Waste,” focused on the urgent need to address the often-overlooked issue of food loss and waste in the Asia-Pacific region. A representative from RASSEA attended the webinar. This community of practice was established to raise awareness, encourage knowledge exchange, promote collaboration, initiate impactful programs and projects, and drive policy advocacy aimed at minimizing FLAW across the region.
During the session, Dr. Ravi Khetarpal, Executive Director of APAARI, emphasized the critical issue of food loss and waste, describing it as a hidden emergency with global implications. Food loss, as he explained, occurs during production, post-harvest, and processing stages. Alarmingly, 15% of all food produced is lost on farms during, around, and shortly after harvest. This represents a staggering amount of vegetables, fruits, grains, and other food that could potentially feed 870 million undernourished people four times over. Food loss refers to a decrease in the quantity or quality of food caused by decisions and actions of food suppliers in the supply chain, excluding retailers, food service providers, and consumers.
In the Asia-Pacific region, the majority of food waste—approximately 53%—comes from households. Since 2010, the level of household food waste has consistently increased, reaching 72 kilograms per capita in 2022. If this number could be reduced, the positive impact would be extraordinary. For example, saving just 25% of current food loss and waste would be enough to feed 870 million people. Even more impressively, if the Asia-Pacific region could cut its food waste by half, it would save 456 million tons of food—sufficient to feed 300 million food-insecure individuals.
The webinar emphasized that Asia is a significant hub for the wastage of cereals and rice, which greatly contributes to environmental harm. The Asia-Pacific region is responsible for over half of the global food loss and waste. As reported by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 2022, the annual economic loss from food loss and waste (FLAW) in this region reaches an astounding USD 940 billion. If no urgent measures are taken, this amount is expected to double by 2050. In developing nations, a noteworthy 40% of food losses happen during the post-harvest handling and processing stages, highlighting these phases as key opportunities for intervention. The stages leading to food loss and waste encompass production, post-harvest handling and storage, processing and packaging, distribution and retail, and consumption. Among these, the post-harvest handling and storage phase accounts for the largest proportion of food loss and waste at 40%.
The impacts of FLAW extend far beyond economics. Environmentally, food loss and waste are responsible for 8–10% of global greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to land degradation. Economically, smallholder farmers suffer the most, losing between 20–50% of their income due to inefficiencies in the food value chain, as reported by the World Bank in 2023. Additionally, FLAW exacerbates malnutrition, resulting in a loss of 24% of available calories in the Asia-Pacific region. To illustrate, saving just 1.3 million tons of food annually could provide enough sustenance for 3 million people.
Dr. Khetarpal also discussed actionable steps to minimize food waste. He emphasized that simple changes at the household level can make a significant difference. For instance, planning meals in advance allows consumers to purchase only what they need, reducing the risk of food spoilage. Proper storage of food, particularly fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator, can extend their shelf life and prevent waste. Furthermore, composting food scraps converts what would otherwise be discarded into nutrient-rich soil, supporting the environment and relieving pressure on landfills.
He also introduced FAO’s strategic framework for combating FLAW, known as the five-pillar strategy. This framework includes raising awareness and building partnerships, identifying critical points where losses are greatest, mobilizing investments to support solutions, tracking and monitoring progress to ensure accountability, and integrating governance to facilitate long-term policy and structural changes.
As a call to action, Dr. Khetarpal emphasized the need for involvement from all sectors of society. Governments must take the lead in enforcing effective food policies and investing in food infrastructure. Businesses have a vital role in adopting circular economy practices that prioritize sustainability and reduce waste. Consumers can contribute by making conscious decisions at home, particularly by minimizing food waste in their daily lives. These collective efforts align with the global goal to achieve zero waste in key sectors and regions by the year 2030, marking a major milestone toward sustainable materials and food management.
In closing, Dr. Ravi Khetarpal delivered a memorable and heartfelt message. He invited everyone to reflect on the wisdom of our grandmothers, who taught us never to waste food and to cherish every meal. “We must return to that mindset,” he said, “and honor our food by valuing it — not wasting it.”
