As we celebrate the fourth International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste today, it is important to highlight the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) theme “Reducing Food Loss and Waste: Taking Action to Transform Agrifood Systems.” Today’s special episode of the USAID Kitchen Sink FLW Podcast explores the economic case for FLW: what are the economic impacts, what are the trade offs, and how can we achieve the economic benefits of reducing FLW. In this episode, FAO Chief Economist Maximo Torero Cullen is interviewed by USAID Senior Science Advisor and FLW Co-Lead Ahmed Kablan. Together, we discuss the argument for investing in FLW reduction, the considerations for return on investment. We conclude our episode by announcing FAO’s new Food Loss App (FLAP), which can help farmers identify problem areas for food loss and offers videos and technical information to provide solutions to reduce FLW.

You can subscribe to receive the latest episodes of USAID’s Kitchen Sink and listen to our episodes on the platform of your choice: Apple, Spotify, and more! Video recordings of the episodes are available on YouTube. Check in every month for new episodes as global experts discuss a range of issues about FLW and methane emissions - from the critical role of youth to the staggering economic costs - and learn about specific ways that USAID is tackling FLW around the world.

If you have an idea for an episode topic you’d like to see featured or if you would like to participate in an episode of USAID’s Kitchen Sink, please reach out to Nika Larian ([email protected]).