PHNOM PENH — As the world marks the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste on September 29, the stark paradox comes into focus: it is not food scarcity but the mountains we discard that define our age.

Globally, one-third of all food produced—1.3 billion tons each year—is lost or wasted, and nowhere is this contradiction more glaring than in Asia-Pacific, where millions go hungry even as food worth nearly $1 trillion is thrown away.

“Food loss and waste is a critical challenge for food security and sustainable development, given Asia-Pacific’s significant share and economic costs,” said Dr. Ravi Khetarpal, Executive Director of the Asia Pacific Association for Agricultural Research Institutions (APAARI).

The women-fare-worse-than-men/en">UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) data shows that while 390 million people across the region suffer from hunger, Asia-Pacific countries waste food valued at $940 billion annually. The environmental toll is equally alarming: food loss and waste account for nearly 10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and deplete a quarter of the world’s freshwater and energy resources.

Losses Begin at the Source

Food loss starts on the farm. Weather shocks, pests, and weak crop resilience reduce harvests before they even reach storage. Experts say that regenerative methods can help mitigate these losses, but insecure land tenure remains a major obstacle.

“Secure land rights enable smallholder farmers to adopt climate-resilient practices and long-term solutions that minimise food loss,” said Marianne Naungayan of the Asian NGO Coalition for Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (ANGOC).

As crops move through supply chains, the losses grow. In much of Asia’s vast informal markets, the lack of unified storage, grading, and distribution systems means enormous amounts of food perish unsold. While attention often focuses on consumer-level waste, losses at the farm and processing stages remain overlooked and underfunded.

Household Waste Surges

At the consumer end, waste is driven by over-ordering, overstocking, and confusion over best-before labels. “Individual responsibility and awareness are critical to reducing food waste. Promoting education and responsible consumption can transform household habits,” said Sireesha Bantu, Director of the Office of Sustainable Campus at the Asian Institute of Technology, stressing that behavior change must complement policy reforms.

This call is echoed by grassroots organizations. “Empowering communities through capacity-building in responsible consumption and strengthening resilience to climate change is fundamental to addressing food loss and waste,” said Sotha Sok of the Cambodian Farmer Association Federation of Agricultural Producers.

National Responses Vary

Some countries are moving ahead with targeted measures. Japan mandates food businesses to recycle at least half their waste into fertilizer, animal feed, or bioenergy, while also investing heavily in consumer education.

China has banned restaurant promotions that encourage excessive orders under its “Clean Your Plate” campaign. Elsewhere, Singapore, India, Bangladesh, and Nepal have focused on expanding recycling infrastructure and awareness programs to cut household waste.

Yet critical gaps persist. Only 12 countries in the region collect any data on food loss and waste, and most do so without real-time monitoring.

“There is an urgent need for real-time geospatial data, especially post-harvest, to detect pilferage, inefficiencies, and loss hotspots,” said Prof. Kavya Dashora of the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, calling for a dedicated census to give policymakers the evidence they need.

APAARI’s Dr. Khetarpal, while supporting the idea of a census, warned that it would demand significant financial and infrastructural investment. “Who will bear the expense?” he asked, stressing that the first priority must be to generate reliable scientific evidence that can then justify resource mobilization.

Systemic Gaps

Beyond financing and data, experts highlight a lack of systemic reforms and coordination. “Food loss and waste initiatives rarely feature in national development strategies. This lack of coordination leaves farmers, traders, and retailers working in fragments,” said Jewel Rana, Senior Research Officer with the Australian Government.

FAO’s Five-Pillar Strategy and the Trujillo Principles, endorsed by Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, call for behavior change, stronger investment, institutional coordination, and tighter links between food waste reduction and climate action. UNEP, meanwhile, is working with governments to standardize measurement methods.

“There is an urgent need for decisive action to address what we call the ‘flaw-in-the-FLW,’” said Dipika Trivedi, Project Associate at APAARI. “It requires collaboration across food security, climate action, and sustainable development.”

From Waste to Resilience

Experts agree that the focus must shift from end-stage waste management to prevention, redistribution, and resilience-building at the farm level.

“Food banking and surplus redistribution are vital to bridging the gap between food surplus and food insecurity, especially for smallholder farmers,” said Dr. Devinder Dhingra, Principal Scientist at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.

Urban food rescue models in Thailand and Hong Kong show promise, but scaling them up will require integrated policy frameworks. Experts stress that food loss and waste cannot be solved piecemeal. It demands a systemic shift—linking regenerative farming, new technologies, consumer education, redistribution, and circular economy approaches that cut waste and reuse resources.

APAARI is pushing to make food loss and waste a regional priority by sparking dialogue, pressing governments to include it in national agendas, linking it to climate and nutrition goals, and supporting community-driven solutions.

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Vishy Teki is a consultant with the Asia-Pacific Association of Agriculture Research Institutions, Bangkok.