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China unites against food loss and waste

chinagate.cn by Liu Hui, November 28, 2016 Adjust font size:

Dr. Cheng Shengkui gives a full overview of food loss and waste in China and Asia at the forum. [Chinagate.cn/Photo by Liu Hui]

To further the dialogue on reaching China's food waste reduction goal, Dr. Cheng Shengkui, former Deputy Director of the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research (IGSNRR) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), claimed that data-based tracking and analytics tools, along with the Multi-stakeholder Platform, played an important role in the fight against food waste and loss across the world.

"By analyzing the data we collected, we were able to better understand what kind of factors contribute to food waste and loss during processing and consumption," he said, adding that the collaboration from social media, nonprofits, foundations, government leaders and international communities is needed to develop practical solutions.

Ms. Åsa Margareta Stenmark, Director of the waste department of IVL Swedish Environment Research Institute, agreed with Cheng that data comparison and analysis could be used for the specific targeting of food wasted by consumers, retailers, the catering industry and others. "It could help us recall what our first priorities are as food loss and waste occurs along the entire agricultural value chain."

At last, she recommended methods for the treatment of food waste, including material recycling, biological treatment and energy recovery. For example, food waste can be treated biologically using an anaerobic digestion or composting system, which converts waste into fertile soil.

Jointly organized by UNEP, IVL, IGSNRR of CAS, and ACEF, the event also won the support of the Swedish government, Stockholm Environment Institute in Sweden, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the "REFRESH" Project funded under the European Union Horizon 2020 Programme, and the UN Theme Group on Climate Change and Environment. The forum is also the kick-off meeting of "REFRESH" Project in China.

 

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