News dated
On September 29, FAO announced a new interactive Food Loss Index map with regional and subregional estimates for 2024. The useful step concerns access to data. [1][3]
The food losses considered occur from harvest until before retail. They are distinguished from waste in shops, food services and households. The new map does not, by itself, show that losses have fallen. [2][1]
The bright side
More accessible information can help identify where action is needed. [1]
One idea, in simple words
Food passes through many stages before it reaches a plate. Some can be lost after harvest, during the stages before it is sold in shops. FAO calls these reductions “food loss”. Waste in shops, restaurants and homes belongs to a different part of the journey and is kept separate when measurements are made. [2][3]
On September 29, FAO presented an interactive map with food loss estimates for 2024, divided into areas of the world. An estimate is a value calculated from available information. The map helps people consult the data: publishing it does not mean that the amount of food lost has already fallen. [1]
A little discovery to keep
What did you discover?
Straight from the source.
- Reducing food loss and waste to protect forests and transform agrifood systems FAO · 29 Sept 2026
- Introduction – Food Loss FAO · No publication date provided
- Technical Platform on the Measurement and Reduction of Food Loss and Waste FAO · No publication date provided
Original reporting summaries prepared with AI assistance and accessible sources. Our editorial method.
