Apec tackles problem of food loss, waste

Member-economies of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) are crafting measures to address food wastage following a meeting hosted jointly by the Philippines, New Zealand and Taiwan.

According to the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech), the initiative is being pushed through a public-private partnership.

In particular, the effort seeks to reduce, if not eliminate, food losses in the supply chain of fishery and livestock.

PhilMech director Rex Bingabing said in a statement that with the growing concern for food loss, Apec economies consider it necessary to ensure a sufficient supply of affordable, safe and good quality food.

“With the additional new challenges in food production such as climate change, decreasing production areas and depletion of natural resources, food loss and food waste must be given serious attention,” Bingabing said.

As the institutions concerned recognize that the problem of food loss and wastage is not the sole problem of the governments alone, he said the private sector is called upon to take action and contribute to long-term solutions.

Dong-Chong Hsiou, deputy director general of Taiwan’s Council of Agriculture, said the private sector plays a critical role in reducing losses along the supply chain.

“We encourage (the private sector) to provide us with more creative and innovative ideas and solutions,” she said.

About 80 delegates from both the public and private sectors exchanged information on basic research, current trends, business models and postharvest technologies in the fishery and livestock industry during the seminar held Sept. 27.

The delegates represented the Philippines, Chile, China, Japan, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, the United States and Vietnam.