International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste

International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste is observed on September 29. This important observance draws attention to the food lost or wasted throughout the journey from farms and fisheries to markets, kitchens, and dining tables. It highlights how reducing waste can help conserve natural resources, support food security, and lessen the environmental impact of producing and disposing of food.

The day invites individuals, businesses, communities, and governments to consider practical ways to value food more fully. Planning meals, storing ingredients properly, sharing surplus food, and choosing creative ways to use leftovers are simple steps that can make a meaningful difference. September 29 is an opportunity to reflect on the food we have and work together toward a more sustainable and equitable food system.

The **International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste** is observed annually on **September 29**. The observance was established by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2019 through Resolution 74/209, which recognized the need for greater international attention to the amount of food lost or wasted around the world. The first observance took place on September 29, 2020, creating a global occasion for governments, international organizations, businesses, communities, and individuals to address the environmental, economic, and humanitarian consequences of food loss and waste.

The day emerged from growing concern about inefficiencies throughout the food system. “Food loss” generally refers to food that is lost during production, harvesting, storage, transportation, or processing, while “food waste” more often describes food discarded by retailers, restaurants, institutions, or households. Earlier international efforts—including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Target 12.3—had already called for food waste to be reduced and food losses along production and supply chains to be lowered. The September 29 observance helped give these objectives a distinct annual focus and encouraged cooperation between public authorities and the private sector.

Over time, the day has evolved into a platform for examining the connections between food waste, climate change, hunger, resource use, and sustainable development. Food that is never eaten still requires land, water, energy, labor, packaging, and transportation; when it is discarded and decomposes in landfills, it can also contribute to greenhouse-gas emissions. At the same time, reducing avoidable losses can improve food security, strengthen farmers’ incomes, make supply chains more resilient, and lessen pressure on natural resources. International campaigns associated with the day commonly promote better storage, improved harvest and distribution practices, food donation, clearer consumer planning, and more responsible purchasing and portioning.

Culturally, the observance invites societies to reconsider the value of food and the habits surrounding it. Traditions of sharing, preserving, repairing, and using ingredients fully are found in many communities, and the day connects these practices with modern sustainability goals. Its significance therefore extends beyond waste management: it encourages respect for the work and resources embodied in food while highlighting the shared responsibility of producers, retailers, institutions, households, and policymakers. Through activities held on September 29, the observance turns a global environmental and social concern into a subject of public education and collective action.