Dominik Wisser
Livestock Policy Officer, FAO
One-third of all food produced is lost or wasted, but a circular approach provides a transformative solution, turning waste by-products into valuable resources.
Adding value to waste resources
In today’s agrifood systems, large amounts of food and agricultural by-products are treated as waste. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimates that around 13% of food — the equivalent of 1.25 billion tonnes — is lost globally after harvest and before it reaches retail shelves.1 This presents a major challenge, but a circular economy offers a transformative solution. This model turns what was once a disposal problem into a valuable resource, providing a local, sustainable feed source that reduces the reliance on conventional crops.
A beneficial cycle
A circular approach sets a beneficial cycle between sectors. For example, FAO works to support the transformation of by-products from food processing into nutritious feed for livestock like pigs and poultry. The upcycling of other materials, such as manure, also plays a crucial role. When managed properly, livestock manure can be used to help meet soil nutrient requirements, helping farmers reduce the costs associated with the purchase of synthetic fertiliser.
In today’s agrifood systems, large
amounts of food and agricultural
by-products are treated as waste.
A measurable pathway
To understand these benefits, FAO uses an agrifood systems thinking approach, allowing stakeholders to measure the environmental footprint of these different pathways. By applying this framework to food waste streams, we can quantify positive environmental outcomes like reduced greenhouse gas emissions and less impact on water.
Global guidance for farmers
FAO plays a key role in advancing this work globally, providing technical guidance and technical support to its Members and partners, from smallholder farmers to larger agricultural industry partners. By transforming by-products into valuable resources, the Organization is also helping to build a more sustainable, efficient and secure agrifood system for all.
[1] Food and Agriculture Organization. 2019. The State of Food and Agriculture 2019.
