The INEI and the FAO hold a workshop for food loss measurement at the country level

The National Institute of Statistics and Informatics (INEI) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), hold the workshop about Food Loss Measurement and the Indicator on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 12.3.1a Food Loss Index. In order to strength the national capabilities in the design and implementation of gathering information about food losses based on surveys and generate national statistics in the different level of the agro-food chain. This workshop will be carried out from 5 - 9 June of this year and it is part of the FAO Technical Assistance Mission to our country.

The workshop will also allow to inform about the current state of Food Losses and Wastage globally and the progresses in the collaboration for measurement of this indicator with the key actors of the country. In addition, of strengthen the capabilities in the methods and instruments for food loss measurement.

It is worth to mention that the INEI and the FAO have the support of the Ministry of Agricultural Development and Irrigation (MIDAGRI) for the preparation of proposals of a measurement strategy on Food Loss at country’s level.

The event’s opening was in charge of the Chief of the INEI, Mr. Dante Carhuavilca Bonnet, Mrs. Mariana Escobar, Representative of FAO in Peru and Mrs. Sonia Arce Serpa, General Director of Agricultural Policies of the Ministry of Agricultural Development and Irrigation.

This workshop is aimed to public and private sector officials as well as to academics and civil society linked to food loss measurement.

The food loss estimations are relevant because they allow the monitoring progress over time, nevertheless, its implementation requires on additional periodical reporting in order to know the loss percentages produced in the critical points throughout the food supply chain.

It is important to mention that the indicator 12.3.1.a Food Loss Index, focuses in the losses that are produced since the production until the retail level (without excluding this one). Monitors through time the variation of percentage losses of a minimum basket of 10 basic products per country compared with the period of reference. The index will contribute to measure the progresses through the pursuing of the ODS 12: Production and Responsible Consumption; and it will use as a toll to guide public policy.

During the workshop the following subjects will be address: Current state of the food loss (FL) worldwide, national policies for prevention and FL reduction, FL Index and its measurement, private sector intervention in the FL and it will be presented the observatory of the SDGs and FL.

The following days until 9 June a group of activities will be developed as part of the technical assistance that includes training for a Pilot Survey with cognitive test for the indicator measurement, questionnaire design, manuals and training of field personnel for its application mainly to wholesale traders, transporters and artisan fishers.