USAID’s Kitchen Sink: A Food Loss and Waste Podcast
Welcome to USAID’s Kitchen Sink: A Food Loss and Waste Podcast! 30 to 40 percent of the food we produce is wasted or lost, contributing to a global food crisis with over 800 million going to bed hungry. Listen on as USAID experts speak with researchers and development professionals to explore approaches to solving this critical issue that demands a kitchen sink approach. When it comes to climate, food security, agriculture production, and food systems sustainability, we have no time to waste.
USAID’s Kitchen Sink: A Food Loss and Waste Podcast
Opportunities in Climate-Smart Cold Chain with GCCA’s Amanda Brondy
Our latest episode is with Amanda Brondy, Vice President of International Projects at the Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA). Together, we discuss how the work of GCCA contributes to FLW reduction, the importance of investing in climate-smart cold chain in emerging countries, and the opportunities for collaboration between cold chain companies and food banks to reduce FLW.
Over one-third of the world’s food is lost or wasted, undermining efforts to end hunger and malnutrition while contributing 8 to 10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. In low- and middle-income countries, over 40 percent of food loss occurs before a crop even makes it to market, whether due to inadequate storage, pests or microbes, spoilage, spillage in transport or otherwise. Eliminating food loss and waste (FLW) would provide enough food to feed two billion people, as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Addressing FLW is critical to global food security, nutrition and climate change mitigation, with climate-smart cold chain playing an important role in these efforts.
In order to raise awareness, exchange information and share success stories, USAID’s Food Loss and Waste Community of Practice created the USAID Kitchen Sink Food Loss and Waste Podcast. Our goal is to share monthly, bite-sized episodes that highlight the approaches USAID and the U.S. government are taking to address FLW. We hope these episodes provide a valuable resource for those interested in why we should care about FLW and how we can reduce it.
You can subscribe to receive the latest episodes of USAID’s Kitchen Sink and listen to our episodes on the platform of your choice: Apple, Spotify, and more! Video recordings of the episodes are available on YouTube. Check in every month for new episodes as global experts discuss a range of issues about FLW and methane emissions - from the critical role of youth to the staggering economic costs - and learn about specific ways that USAID is tackling FLW around the world.
If you have an idea for an episode topic you’d like to see featured or if you would like to participate in an episode of USAID’s Kitchen Sink, please reach out to Nika Larian (nlarian@usaid.gov).
There’s no time to waste!