Food loss and waste has emerged as a pressing concern in Bangladesh, with experts warning that nearly 34 per cent of all food produced is either lost or wasted.

The crisis carries profound economic, environmental, and social consequences, consuming 27 per cent of the country’s land for food that never reaches consumers, contributing 13 per cent of national greenhouse gas emissions, and representing a value equivalent to four per cent of GDP, they said.

According to studies mentioned at the conference, they said 8–15 per cent of rice and 20–40 per cent of fruits and vegetables are lost post-harvest, amounting to about $2.4 billion annually.

Despite Bangladesh being a major food producer, the country often imports the very products it grows due to inadequate storage, weak cold chains, and inefficient post-harvest handling, which represents a missed opportunity for farmers and the economy, experts said.

To address these challenges, the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), the Royal Danish Embassy, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Bank, and the World Food Programme (WFP) on Monday organised a conference titled ‘Towards Zero Food Waste and Loss: Building a Sustainable Food Value Chain in Bangladesh’.

The event brought together government officials, private sector representatives, development partners, and experts to discuss actionable solutions for reducing food loss and waste.

Fisheries and livestock ministry adviser Farida Akhter highlighted the persistent problem of malnutrition, particularly among women, and observed that unequal food distribution exacerbates insecurity.

She said that farmers face multiple challenges, including limited support for storage, pricing, and infrastructure, which often lead to preventable losses.

International experts stressed the urgency of tackling the crisis. Danish Embassy Charge d’Affaires Anders Karlsen said that one-third of all food produced worldwide is wasted, consuming land larger than China, and noted that farmland and greenhouse gases are also lost during production and transportation.

Deputy FAO Representative Dia Sanou explained that despite a global food surplus, food insecurity persists due to unequal distribution, poor infrastructure, and high levels of waste.

WFP deputy country director Jesse Wood highlighted the scale of food loss in Bangladesh, citing studies that indicated 8–15 per cent of rice and 20–40 per cent of fruits and vegetables are lost post-harvest, with a total value of around $2.4 billion.

Jesse said that despite Bangladesh being a major food producer, the nation often has to import the very products it grows due to constraints in storage and cold chain systems, which he described as a missed opportunity for both farmers and the economy.

During the first panel session, Policy and Regulation, discussions focused on government frameworks and incentives to reduce food loss.

World Bank senior agriculture specialist Samina Yasmin urged that strategic action on food loss and waste requires both government commitment and private sector involvement.

Her colleague, Son Thanh Vo, recommended interventions across the supply chain, including the promotion of digital agriculture and early-warning systems at the production stage, improvements in handling and marketing during transport and storage, and the development of integrated cold chains in wholesale and retail operations.

Ispahani Agro Limited director Fawzia Yasmin suggested regulatory measures such as banning organic waste from landfills, encouraging food donations through legal protections, and standardising food labelling to reduce confusion over expiry dates.

Bangladesh Agricultural University Professor Md Kamrul Hassan pointed to India’s post-harvest engineering institutions as a model for Bangladesh to foster research and development in food preservation and loss reduction.

Former BSRI director general Ferdouse Islam emphasised that national food system strategies should align with agriculture, health, and commerce sectors and meet Sustainable Development Goals, stressing the importance of coordinated efforts across government, private sector, and civil society.

The second panel examined post-harvest solutions including cold chain logistics, smart packaging, and traceability systems.

WFP Bangladesh policy officer Mwansa Mwansa highlighted the humanitarian, economic, and environmental costs of food loss and emphasised the need for collective action.

WFP Bangladesh supply chain officer Aida Nakyazze recommended establishing Aggregation Centres to support smallholder farmers with training, inputs, and market linkages, as well as advocating for climate-smart technologies, adaptive infrastructure, private sector involvement, and blended finance for cold and dry chain solutions.

FAO’s senior national programme specialist Anil Kumar Das said that FAO’s ongoing initiatives were aimed at improving post-harvest practices, investing in cold chain infrastructure, and expanding training programmes for farmers and vendors.

WFP Bangladesh head of programme Riccardo Suppo explained that the core problem was a market failure, with farmers lacking bargaining power, which led to unfair pricing and minimal income for them, while traders captured most profits.

Directorate General of Food director Md Abdus Salam emphasised the importance of modern infrastructure and handling practices, including cold storage and digital tracking systems, to reduce post-harvest losses and improve food distribution efficiency.

Square Food and Beverage Company head of factory operations Abu Musa Mohammad Monirul Hasan highlighted sustainable contract farming, reduced pesticide use, and the adoption of solar energy in factories as measures that lower costs for farmers and cut carbon emissions.

Department of Agricultural Marketing director Md Abdur Rouf Mia identified the lack of cold chain systems, insufficient transport facilities, high costs, and limited technical expertise as major barriers to reducing post-harvest losses.

CPD executive director Fahmida Khatun summarised the conference recommendations, which included improving cold storage and transport infrastructure, integrating food waste reduction targets into policy, enhancing data collection, promoting innovation, raising public awareness, providing private sector incentives, supporting farmers through financial aid and training, and encouraging consumer behaviour changes such as the ‘Pay as You Throw’ system.

Agriculture ministry secretary Mohammad Emdad Ullah Mian stressed farmer-friendly agriculture, highlighting the Good Agricultural Practices initiative covering 200,000 hectares over three years, and noted the need to align production with demand using satellite imaging and AI to prevent market imbalances.

The conference concluded with a call for collaborative efforts by government, private sector, and civil society to reduce food loss and waste in Bangladesh.