Gaps and Constraints in the Agricultural Production and Supply Chains as a Source of Food Waste and Loss

Abstract

AbstractThe twelfth point of the UN Sustainable Development Goals aimed at halving per capita global food waste and food loss by 2030 is measured by food loss and food waste indices. The ambitious task is implemented in three ways: regulatory impact, changes in social attitude, and the introduction of new technologies and business processes in the field of Agricultural and Food Technologies (AgriFoodTech). This study attempts to assess the potential impact of AgriFoodTech on the food production and supply chain. There are several breakpoints and bottlenecks along the food and production chains, which influence the extent of unintentional food losses on a scale of up to 30% at certain stages. Technological impacts on production and supply chains are assumed to be more cost-effective than large-scale regulatory changes and attempts to change end-user habits. This work aims to study the effect of AgriFoodTech tools on reducing food waste and loss in supply chains.KeywordsAgricultural productionSupply chainsWaste managementFood lossFood wasteAgriFoodTechConsumer wasteJEL ClassificationO130