Food Loss and Food Waste Reduction and Recovery Initiative of the Faculty of Agriculture University of Mauritius

The keynote speaker Dr. Mireille Totobesola-Barbier, Project Manager of the FAO/ IFAD/ WFP joint 'Mainstreaming food loss reduction initiatives for smallholders in food deficit areas' project, addressed the audience on "The global effort on food loss and waste reduction". This conference also saw the participation of Mr Vijay Yadav Tokala, Member of the Board of Directors of the Postharvest Education Foundation (PEF), USA; Professor Elna Buys, Head of the Department of Consumer and Food Sciences, University of Pretoria, and eight local speakers. During the first two days, various facets of food loss and food waste were uncovered such as current international initiatives, opportunities for capacity building, local and international research projects, and food loss and waste related activities in Mauritius. Eighty four participants from all the sectors of the agri-food value chain participated and shared their concern, their involvement in food reduction and recovery and their expectations.