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Abstract

Nowadays food loss and waste has become a major global challenge. This is especially true in Bangladesh, where recent data from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) shows that over one crore tons of food are wasted annually. This persistent issue endangers the sustainability of the ecosystem in addition to sustaining cycles of poverty. In light of this, the international community's dedication to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) denotes an attempt to solve environmental issues and poverty together. Bangladesh's agricultural sector and food loss/waste are closely related due to the country's agrarian background. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), insufficient agricultural productivity accounts for thirty percent of worldwide food loss. SDG 12.3 is a cornerstone of this global endeavor, with the goal of halving food loss and waste by 2030. With a focus on the environmental effects of these issues and raising public awareness of the Food Losses and Wastes (FLW) SDGs, this study critically investigates the factors that lead to food loss and waste. This paper attempts a thorough policy analysis to identify the gaps that prevent Bangladesh from realizing SDG12.3. It then makes recommendations for closing these gaps and enabling the nation to achieve these targets by implementing practical policies and strategies that reduce food loss and waste.

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