Supporting food waste and loss reduction in the tourism sector
Food is a key element of the tourism experience and a differentiating factor for destinations and at the same time represents an entry point for circularity and transformation in tourism value chains through sustainable procurement (local and organic sourcing, sourcing from market surplus or collective procurement), sustainable menus (including healthy and plant-rich dishes) and food waste and loss reduction and management .
The Sustainable Development Goal target 12.3 aims “by 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels & reduce food losses along production and supply chains (including post-harvest losses).” Currently, several international frameworks and organizations are working on advancing target 12.3 globally across global food value chains targeting major producers and retailers. Nevertheless, despite importance of food value chains in tourism activities, there is no clear pathway ensuring tourism businesses are advancing in sufficiently impactful manner to contribute to the 12.3 and more broadly sustainability and circularity of food value chains.
Following the results of the strategic consultation of the One Planet STP network, 82% of Programme stakeholders that responded to the consultation, prioritized the work on food waste prevention in order to support the tourism sector in achieving SDG target 12.3 on halving food waste globally by 2030.
Hence it was agreed that in order to integrate and promote SCP in tourism food value chains, Programme will focus on the development and implementation of the Global Food Waste Initiative that will support the tourism sector stakeholders in reaching SDG target 12.3 through systemic approach, including by tackling the issue of sustainable diets.
Following strategic consultations on the topic, UNEP, UNWTO, FAO and UNDP joined forces for the development and implementation of One Planet Multi-Partner Trust Fund for SDG12 (MPTF) Project on sustainable food systems. The tourism-related component of the project includes following activities:
- Framework (tolos/approach) to scale up sustainable food management in the tourism sector, including the reduction of food waste:
o Policy recommendations for the integration of sustainable food management in tourism policies
o Procurement recommendations for circular food value chains in the tourism sector
o Roadmap on FLW in tourism: the backbone of the Global Tourism Food Waste Initiative
- Capacity development for food and hospitality businesses on sustainable food management (on line), including case studies to build the business case
- Awareness raising materials on sustainable food management.
One Planet STP network and UN agencies
