Public and Private Sector Roles in Food Waste

August 2, 2016

We feel it is important to hear from both the public and private sectors in the food security issues that are the focus of our conference each year, and this year is no different. Both sectors have significant roles to play in food loss and waste solutions.

We are excited to have Dr Karen Brooks and Mr Daniel Lagger as our keynote speakers at this year’s Crawford Fund Annual Conference ‘Waste Not, Want Not: The Circular Economy to Food Security’.

Dr Karen Brooks is Director, CGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutions and Markets at the International Food Policy Research Institute. Her keynote presentation ‘Waste Not, Warm Not: Poverty, Hunger and Climate Change in a Circular Food System’ will include a focus on the winners and losers with reduced food loss and waste.

“With as many as 800 million people still undernourished, of whom about 160 million are stunted young children, the fact that as much as 30% of food is lost or wasted appears unconscionable”, says Karen.

While better management and distribution of existing supplies is necessary, Karen insists the full picture is more complex.

“The economics of reduced loss and waste creates both winners and losers, but the environmental calculus has only winners”, she says.

Mr Daniel Lagger, Executive Director, Technical and Production for Nestlé Oceania, will take us on a supply chain journey within the private sector, using Nestlé’s ‘War on Waste’ as a timely example. Turning 150 this year, Nestlé continues to focus on their environmental performance along the entire value chain.

“With increasing water scarcity, constrained natural resources and declining biodiversity, we need to protect the future by making the right choices”, says Daniel.

Nestlé’s focus on reducing food disposal has seen waste reduce by 75% over the last ten years, with one in five factories now generating no waste. Their approach requires an in-depth understanding of behaviours and systems in different countries.

“This is a crucial part of the journey to feed a growing global population”, he says.

In addition to public and private sector keynote addresses, the conference includes overview presentations of issues and solutions along the value chain, including the management and reuse of waste and a focus on what supermarkets can do. Visit our Conference Speakers page for further information.

You can register for the conference here.