BUSINESSFAO

Food waste. On June 29, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), with the support of the Spanish Cooperation, published a legal guidance note on how to legislate to reduce food losses and food waste (FWL). The document reveals that Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru have special laws on FFLW; and that Argentina, Brazil, El Salvador, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay and Peru have regulations on food donation. It also summarizes data and reference structures that can be taken into account by legislators in the region when drafting national laws. 

“Food losses and food waste are those that occur from the farm gate to the retail gate, while waste is everything that occurs from the latter gate to the table,” said FAO Food Loss and Waste Expert Sara Granados. “Our food could have a better fate if we join efforts, strategies and policies, and work together with civil society and academia. In a world where millions suffer from hunger, the loss and waste of food is ethically outrageous,” stated the Coordinator of the Parliamentary Front Against Hunger (FPH-ALC in Spanish), Jairo Flores.

The note recommends parliamentarians to approach the FPH-ALC, a network of more than 400 legislators from different political parties who work collaboratively from 21 national congresses and four regional parliaments in Latin America and Spain. It also highlights the adoption of the voluntary code of conduct for the reduction of food losses and waste, which establishes actions and measures that should be implemented by the private sector. Finally, it suggests adopting special laws and policies on Food Loss and Waste with adequate budgets, exchanging knowledge with legislators from other countries, and consulting PARLATINO’s Model Law on Food Loss and Waste, among other actions.

Next Steps

The legal guidance note will be made available to legislators in the region as a roadmap when drafting bills or amendments in the legislative bodies of Latin American parliaments. In this regard, FAO Legal Officer, Manuela Cuvi stated “FAO has prepared this note because we are aware that parliamentarians can act as agents of change when it comes to improving food systems and eating habits”.