Post a comment on the text below

5.3.3        Reducing food waste to increase water use efficiency across the supply chain

An estimate 20% of food is wasted in the EU, of which as much as half is lost at household level (Vittuari et al., 2016). The remaining is lost in processing (19%), food services (12%), production (11%) and wholesale and retail (5%). Reducing food waste thus requires tackling losses that occur during separate steps of the food system involving different actors and very different waste processes. The recent Farm to Fork Strategy (EC, 2020c) calls to cut food waste at retail and consumer levels by half per capita by 2030, and reducing food losses along the food production and supply chains. Global water savings of approximately 250 km³ of water each year may be achieved by reducing food waste (FAO, 2013).

Waste reduction is tackled at EU level by the Waste Framework Directive (Directive 2008/98/EC)(EU, 2008b). EU Circular Economy policy (EC, 2020b) encourages the adoption of a circular model, which applied to food systems, would encourage not only waste reduction based on lower production and consumption levels, but also reuse and recycling of irreducible food waste. The valorisation of food waste aims to reintroduce food waste into the production cycle, which could further reduce demand for additional primary commodity.

This integrated approach to food waste management should account for a number of critical issues from a water and agricultural perspective. First, there needs to be an emphasis on the recovery of nutrients. An estimated 80% of nitrogen and 70% of phosphorus are wasted across the food system. Most of these losses occur at production level and warrants adequate measures for reducing leaching and recycling of nutrients at farm and local level. Increased efficiency in nutrient use is also possible via recycling of food waste as animal feed or as compost at the food processing and retailing stages. Wastewater reuse can exploit household losses after consumption as sewage sludge for field application and irrigation water. The Sewage Sludge Directive (EEC, 1986) and  Water Reuse Regulation (EU, 2020) encourage these practices.

Alternative approaches would enhance synergies between food and energy systems. Technologies for biogas production exist to exploit crop waste and manure, and increase nutrient recycling at farm and local level. This solution can also reduce farm energy costs and represent an additional source of income. Waste along the food chain could also be exploited by larger units.