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Trujillo Principles for Preventing and Reducing Food Loss and Waste in the Asia-Pacific Region

  1. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), it is estimated that one-third of the food produced globally, equivalent to 1.3 billion metric tons, is lost or wasted along the food supply chain each year; however, more than 3 billion people do not have physical and economic access to sufficient amounts of affordable, safe and nutritious food to sustain a healthy diet.

  2. As members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, we recognize that food loss and waste (FLW) impact food availability and has economic, social, and environmental costs in the region. Addressing FLW should be designed to improve global food security, including by complementing its four dimensions: availability, access, utilization, and stability; addressing all environmental challenges, including climate change; avoiding pollution; supporting the conservation of natural resources and biodiversity; and helping achieve more sustainable and resilient agri-food systems in the region.

  3. We recognize that there are a variety of approaches to understanding and addressing FLW that may lead to improved outcomes. Therefore, it is essential to promote multisectoral, context-specific, voluntary, and scientific approaches to addressing FLW that may differ locally and regionally. In our efforts to prevent and reduce FLW, we encourage economies to continue implementing a rules-based, non-discriminatory, open, fair, inclusive, equitable, and transparent multilateral trading system, with the World Trade Organization (WTO) at its core, to ensure WTO compliant policies and measures, that agricultural goods and services flow as smoothly and predictably as possible.

  4. The following “Principles for Preventing and Reducing Food Loss and Waste in the Asia-Pacific Region” (Principles) support our individual and collective efforts to put in place and achieve what we endorsed in the APEC Food Security Roadmap Towards 2030 and its Implementation Plan, specifically action 17.e), and the APEC Putrajaya Vision 2040 and its associated Aotearoa Plan of Action, under a holistic, systemic and inclusive approach, recognizing there is no one-size-fits-all solution.

  5. These Principles align with the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda including efforts to halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses. They also are in line with the “Voluntary Code of Conduct for Food Loss and Waste Reduction” endorsed by FAO members (2021), which offers guidance and a framework for establishing policies, strategies, legislation, or programs to prevent and reduce FLW.


    Principle 1: Strengthen institutional frameworks

  6. To prevent and reduce FLW, it is necessary to strengthen institutions responsible for the agri-food system, including through capacity-building for related stakeholders, in order to design and implement appropriate, efficient and effective policies and approaches to address this problem.

  7. It is also important to coordinate the domestic measures on preventing and reducing FLW with international commitments on food security, nutrition, environmental challenges, including climate change, circular economy, trade, or other relevant issues, as appropriate; and in this way, avoid negative impacts and duplication of efforts to address FLW.

  8. APEC economies should promote coordination between institutions at different levels and sectors to make policies and efforts related to FLW prevention and reduction more effective and efficient. Domestic policies and approaches designed to prevent and reduce FLW should be measurable.

    Principle 2: Promote public-private partnerships and coordination with other relevant stakeholders

  9. Recognizing the important role of the private sector, APEC economies should work with relevant stakeholders, including the public sector, international organizations, civil society organizations, and academia, as appropriate, to develop and implement context-specific measures that prevent and reduce FLW throughout the stages of the food supply chain.

  10. APEC economies should encourage and support the private sector and other stakeholders in designing, leading, and implementing approaches addressing FLW, as well as promote research, innovation, technology, and the development of capacity building and transparent data collection to achieve this goal.

    Principle 3: Foster research, innovation, technology, and digitalization

  11. It is important to strengthen frameworks that facilitate research, innovation, digitalization, and technology adoption to promote, develop, and implement appropriate and relevant solutions for the prevention and reduction of FLW. These solutions should be applicable and affordable for improving the productivity, sustainability, and efficiency of agri-food systems. We encourage APEC economies to share context-specific best practices in this regard.

  12. We understand the importance of scientific approaches, relevant evidence and traditional knowledge in the development of technologies and practices of preventing and reducing FLW.

    Principle 4: Promote capacity building, awareness, and education

  13. APEC economies should raise awareness of FLW and strengthen the capacities of food supply chain actors on the importance of preventing and reducing FLW, and consider FLW options to address this problem from a multisectoral approach.

  14. APEC economies should promote education and literacy on FLW prevention and reduction among all stakeholders and along the food supply chain, with a special focus on young people and households. This includes promoting the adoption of sustainable production and consumption patterns, healthy diets, and other behavioral change, as appropriate, as well as awareness on the social, economic and environmental benefits of preventing and reducing FLW.


    Principle 5: Improve data collection and knowledge management

  15. APEC economies should consider developing or promoting new mechanisms or utilizing existing ones for the voluntary collection, generation, and systematization of data and information by relevant stakeholders to support the quantification and tracking of FLW across the food supply chain.

  16. It is also important to analyze the economic, social, environmental, and food security and nutrition impacts over time to show progress towards domestic and international goals. This data and information can be used to help inform policies and approaches that prevent and reduce FLW in an effective and efficient manner. We encourage the sharing of effective policies and approaches, as well as lessons and experiences among APEC economies to support FLW prevention and reduction across the region.

    Principle 6: Create an enabling environment to promote investment in physical infrastructure

  17. APEC economies should endeavor to create an enabling environment to promote investment to close the gaps in the development of physical infrastructure and supporting services to address FLW across multiple stages of the food supply chain and encourage improvements in productivity, food safety and sustainability in the food industry, including production, storage, processing, packaging, distribution, and consumption. 

    Principle 7: Promote food rescue and donation

  18. While adequate access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food remains a basic need for all people, we acknowledge the role that food rescue and donation can play, particularly in supporting people in vulnerable situations.

  19. Therefore, APEC economies are encouraged to adopt policies and mechanisms for rescuing and donating safe and nutritious food that would otherwise be lost or wasted, to be distributed to people in vulnerable situations within their jurisdictions. This approach can reduce FLW while contributing to lower levels of food insecurity. Establishing transparent practices and food safety measures, in coordination with actors in the food supply chain, can encourage safe and effective food rescue and donation.

  20. APEC economies are encouraged to communicate the importance and justification of food rescue to the general population, in line with each economy’s specific priorities for managing FLW. This includes highlighting its benefits for alleviating food insecurity, as well as its economic and environmental advantages.