Our global economic system is facing great challenges as it drains finite resources and exacerbates the climate crisis, with a drastic impact on food security and nutrition for present and future generations. A sustainable, circular bioeconomy can play a key role in the transition towards a more sustainable future.
Reducing food loss and waste (FLW) is gaining attention as one of the avenues for promoting a circular bioeconomy. Through FLW prevention and by applying the “3 Rs” (reduce, reuse, recycle), we can reduce the raw materials needed and the resources used in food production while minimizing waste streams. This enhances resource efficiency and reduces resource depletion while curbing greenhouse gas emissions and environmental degradation. At the same time, adding value to food that would otherwise become waste increases market competitiveness and creates new business and economic opportunities, including for women and youth.
Several challenges hamper efforts to reduce FLW. These range from technical factors, weak capacities and institutions, economic challenges, the lack of supportive policies and incentives, regulatory barriers, and insufficient investments, among others. Lack of public awareness and education are also crucial inhibiting factors, as they limit consumer demand for sustainable bioproducts and practices.
The high-level panel will explore how FLW reduction can accelerate sustainable, circular bioeconomy development, focusing on its potential to address global interconnected challenges, including food insecurity and malnutrition, climate change, and the unsustainable exploitation of natural resources. The panel will discuss avenues for overcoming constraints toward realization of the full potential of FLW reduction for accelerating a circular bioeconomy, as well as the policies and supportive ecosystem required to foster innovation, investment and collaboration within and across sectors.
Key themes of the High-Level Panel
The discussions of the panel will explore the following key themes:
- Technical constraints and experiences in implementing FLW prevention and the “3 Rs” (reduce, reuse, recycle) for advancing a circular economy approach.
- Interconnected challenges, including food insecurity and malnutrition, climate change, and the unsustainable exploitation of natural resources.
- Supportive policies and institutions, key incentives, and actions to prevent and reduce FLW.
- Scaling up financing for FLW interventions: The role of development finance institutions in catalyzing investments, opportunities to leverage climate finance, and innovative financial models and instruments.
- Learning from the Past, looking to the Future: key lessons learned in FLW reduction through circular bioeconomy development, international cooperation, partnerships and coordination.
Expected Outcomes:
- An improved understanding of technical approaches and policy priorities for FLW reduction as well as avenues for scaling up and redirecting financing.
- Shared vision for advancing sustainable bioeconomy development through FLW reduction.
- Clarity on the means to strengthen and scale up international cooperation and collaboration on FLW bioeconomy for sustainable food and agriculture.
Tentative Agenda
1. Introductory remarks/setting the stage | Kaveh Zahedi, Director, Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment, FAO |
2. High-Level Panel Discussion | |
Moderator: Joachim von Braun, Professor, Center for Development Research (ZEF), Bonn University
Panelists
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3. Short Round of Q&A | |
4. Wrap up / summary | Kaveh Zahedi, Director, Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment, FAO |
Panelists
Keynote Speaker

Kaveh Zahedi
Director of the Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment
Food and agriculture organization of the United Nations
Moderators & Panelists

Joachim von Braun
Professor
Bonn University, Center for Development Research (ZEF)

Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko
AU Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment (ARBE)
African Union Commission

Leonard Mizzi
Head of Unit, Directorate-General (DG) for International Partnerships - Sustainable Agri-Food systems and Fisheries
European Commission

Anila Denaj
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Albania

Julie Collins
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Australia

Shobha Shetty
Global Director, Agriculture and Food Global Practice
World Bank

Gunther Beger
Managing Director of the Directorate for SDG Innovation and Economic Transformation
UNIDO