Efficiency and resource implications of food losses and waste in sub-Saharan Africa

Aragie, Emerta. 2022. Efficiency and resource implications of food losses and waste in sub-Saharan Africa. Journal of Asian and African Studies 57(3): 446-461. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F00219096211020490

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.