Efficiency and Resource Implications of Food Losses and Waste in sub-Saharan Africa. (May 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Aragie, Emerta
• Is Part Of: Journal of Asian and African studies. Volume 57:Number 3(2022)
• Page Start: 446
• Page End: 461
• Publication Date: 2022-05
• Subjects: Food losses and waste -- water and cropland footprints -- sub-Saharan Africa -- sustainability; Social change -- Africa -- Periodicals; Social change -- Asia -- Periodicals; Economic development -- Africa -- Periodicals; Economic development -- Asia -- Periodicals; Africa -- Social conditions -- Periodicals; Asia -- Social conditions -- Periodicals; Africa -- Periodicals; Asia -- Periodicals; 950
• DOI: 10.1177/00219096211020490
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0021-9096

Abstract

Reducing the huge level of food losses and waste is arguably one of the sustainable ways of closing the food requirement gap in developing countries. Examining selected sub-Saharan Africa countries and utilizing the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations' Food Balance Sheet data, this study suggests that these countries lose over 29% (58.8 million tons) of the primary equivalent component of food. Exploiting the rich data on water and land footprints of food commodities, this study also identified considerable losses in resources – 21% of total water use and 15% of cropland use – associated with the food supply chain losses, with noticeable implications for agricultural sustainability.