Efficient reduction of food waste in primary production

Background and Objective

The Federal government is pursuing the goal of halving per capita food waste at retail and consumer level by 2030. In addition, food losses should be reduced along the entire value chain. The Federal Government has included these goals and approaches in the National Strategy for Food Waste Reduction. As part of this, Dialogue Forums were set up for various sectors (primary production, processing, wholesale and retail, out-of-home sector and private households).

The aim of this Dialogue Forum is to quantify food losses and to analyse causes of food losses on primary production. In addition, reduction measures will be developed, implemented and evaluated.

Target Group

Scientists, practitioners and politicians.

Approach

In order to encourage the communication between scientists and practitioners and to reduce food losses together, so-called round tables are being set up for each product group (animal products, cereals, vegetables and fruit).

Together we will quantify and analyse food waste on primary production. In addition, reduction measures will be developed, implemented and evaluated in demonstration businesses.

In order to achieve the goals formulated in the National Strategy, voluntary agreements will be made between the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the actors of primary production.

Data and Methods

Based on the study ‘Baseline 2015 – food waste in Germany‘, the food losses and waste monitoring will be optimized in order to improve data quality and close data gaps.

The reduction measures will be evaluated using a predefined assessment framework, based on the assessment framework of the EU Joint Research Centre.

Our Research Questions

How much food is lost on the primary production stage?

Which reduction measures are efficient?

Preliminary Results

Recommendations for action on monitoring and reduction measures for practitioners and politicians.

Links and Downloads

DLG : Dialogue Forums on primary production and processing

Too Good For The Bin: National Strategy for Food Waste Reduction

Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture: National Strategy of Food Waste Reduction