Skip to main content

7th FLW Workshop, October/November 2023, New Delhi/India

In close collaboration with our colleagues from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and with support of the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) our next International Workshop on Food Loss and Waste Prevention in South Asian Region took place in New Delhi from October 30th to November 1st, 2023. The workshop topics addressed

  • Assessment and Impact of Postharvest Losses and Food Waste
  • Prevention of Postharvest Losses in the Supply Chain
  • Prevention of Food Waste in Households and Community Activities as well as
  • Role of Food Bank Networks and Circular Economy.

We experienced very interesting presentations and discussions! A very a comprehensive summary was kindly provided by Dr Kairam Narsaiah (ICAR Asst. Director General), Dr SN Jha (ICAR Deputy Director General) and the team of rapporteurs mentioned in the agenda.  Please find below the agenda with presentations as well as a selection of photos.

October 30th, 2023

08:30 - 09:30                     

Registration

09:30 - 11:30

Inauguration

Dr Kairam Narsaiah (ICAR) - Historical perspective of food losses
Mr Stefan Lange (Thünen Institute) - Global perspective of food loss and waste
Ms Clementine O´Connor (UNEP) - Food loss and waste metrics and sustainability
Dr Shyam N. Jha (ICAR) - Context setting of workshop
Dr Himanshu Pathak (ICAR, Secretary DARE and DG) - special address
Ms Sushri Shobha Karandlaje - Hon. Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
Dr Nachiket Kotwaliwale (ICAR-CIPHET) -
Pledge/Sankalp to prevent Food Loss and Waste
Dr Devinder Dhingra (ICAR) - Vote of thanks

11:30 - 12:00

High tea

12:00 - 13:30                   

Opening session: Introduction of the Workshop Theme and Expected Outcome

Social, Economical & Environmental Aspects of Food Loss and Waste/Food Waste Index/SDG 12.3

 Chairpersons: Dr Himanshu Pathak (DG, ICAR) & Mr Stefan Lange (research director Thünen Institute)

.) Food Waste Index by Ms Clementine O´Connor (UNEP)
.) Collaboration Initiative Food Loss and Waste launched at MACS-G20 by Dr Felicitas Schneider (coordinator, Thünen Institute, Germany)

13:30 - 14:30                    

Group Photo Day 1 and Lunch

14:30 - 18:00

Technical Session I: Assessment and Impact of Postharvest Losses and Food Waste

chairpersons: Dr K.K. Singh (Vice-Chancellor, SVPUAT, Meerut); Mr Sujan Pradhan (Chief Postproduction Officer, NPHC, Bhutan)

rapporteurs: Dr Rajesh Vishwakarma, PC AICRP (PHET) & Dr S Mangaraj, HoD, CIAE Bhopal

Keynote speakerDr S. N. Jha (DDG (Agril. Engg.), ICAR)

Assessment of Post-harvest losses of Food grains, fruits / vegetables, milk, meat - Methodologies and experiences from India

Panelists:

.) Food Loss & Waste in Bhutan - Country perspective by Mr Karma Dorji (Dy Chief Post Prodn. Officer, NPHC)
.) Post-harvest loss of Cereal Grains, Fruits and Vegetables in Bangladesh by Dr. Md. Mostafizar Rahman (Professor, Bangladesh)
.) Impact of postharvest loss and waste on components of sustainability by Mr Pawan Agrawal (Food Future Foundation)
.) Reducing Food Loss and Waste: Enabling action through the Target-Measure-Act Approach (including SDG Target 12.3) by Ms Ritoja Basu (World Resource Institute India)
.) On-farm postharvest operations management to reduce food losses by Dr. Md. Rostom Ali (Professor, Bangladesh)
.) Q & A and panel discussion followed by Tea

October 31st, 2023

09:00 - 11:00

Technical Session II: Prevention of Postharvest Losses in the Supply Chain

chairpersons: Dr S. N. Jha (DDG, Agril. Engg. ICAR) & Dr Pramod Mahajan (Senior Scientist, Leibniz
Institute for Agril. Eng. & Bioeco (ATB), Potsdam, Germany)

rapporteurs:Dr Sangeeta Chopra, Principal Scientist, IARI; Dr M R Manikantan, Principal Scientist, CPCRI

Keynote speaker Mr Stefan Lange (Research Director, Thünen Institute, Germany)

Role of Artificial Intelligence and IT in Food Loss and Waste Prevention

Panelists:

.) Technological interventions in managing Food Supply Chain from Farmers to Consumers by Mr Varun Khurana
(Founder and CEO, Crofarm/OTIPY)

.) Sensors and Modelling in Postharvest Packaging and Storage of Fresh Produce byDr Pramod Mahajan (Senior Scientist, Leibniz Institute for Agril. Eng. & Bioeco (ATB), Potsdam, Germany)
.)
Controlled Atmosphere & Fumigation in Stored Products by Dr S Rajendran and Mr Ujjwal Kumar (UPL)
.)
Use of Block Chain in production and supply of agricommodities byDr Anil Rai (ADG (ICT)) and Dr Leena Kumari (ICAR-CIPHET)
.) questions and answers & panel discussion

11:00 - 11:30                   

Tea

11:30 - 13:30                    

Technical Session III: Prevention of Food Waste in Households and Community Activities

chairpersons: Dr Felicitas Schneider (Thünen Institute, Germany) & Dr Md. Mostafizar Rahman (Professor, BSMRAU, Bangladesh)

rapporteurs: Dr Sandeep Mann, ICAR-CIPHET; Dr M K Tripathi, ICAR-CIAE Bhopal

Keynote speaker: Ms Heena Yadav (FSSAI)

FSSAI initiative on Prevention of Food Loss & Waste

Panelists:

.) Food Waste Management Strategies (including some National Guidelines/Strategies/Policies – International examples/experiences) by Ms Paramita Dutta Dey (NIUA)
.) Impact of Cultural/Societal Norms on Food Loss & Waste by Dr Meenu Verma (IGNOU)
.) Inventory Management Strategies to Reduce Food Loss & Waste by Dr Anurag Tripathi (CWC) and Mr Chanresan Kumar (DGM, Stocks)
.) Role of Indigenous Technical Knowledge in Preservation of Food by Dr Shalini Rudra Gaur (ICAR-IARI)
.) Questions and Answers & Panel discussion

 

14:00 - 15:00

Group Photo Day 2 and Lunch

15:00 - 18:00                  

Technical Session IV: Role of Food Bank Networks and Circular Economy

chairpersons: Ms Clementine O’Connor (UNEP) &  Dr Kodithuakku Arachchige Sarath Sirilal Kodithuwakku (Dean, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka)

rapporteurs: Dr M. S. Sajeev, Principal Scientist, ICAR-CTCRI; Er. Anamika Thakur, Scientist, ICAR-IARI

Keynote speaker: Dr Vandana Singh (India FoodBanking Network)

Role of Food Bank Networks in prevention of Food Loss & Waste

Panelists:

.) UNEP Cold-chain Support Programme India by Clementine O´Connor (UNEP) and Mr Angshuman Siddhanta (Cold Chain Expert/UNEP)
.) Environmental Impact of food Loss & Waste by Dr Nitin Dumasia (CEO, Growlity Inc., USA) & Ms Ingeborg Bayer (Counsellor Food and Agriculture, German Embassy New Delhi)
.) Circular Economy by Ms Shalini Goyal Bhalla (MD ICCE)
.) Value Addition to Agro-Industrial By-products by Dr Sunil Khare (Prof. IIT Delhi)
.) Valorisation of Agro-Industrial By-products by Dr Dinesh Kumar (HOD, PHT, IARI)

.) Q & A and panel discussion followed by Tea

November 01st, 2023

09:00 - 13:30                  

Field Visit

Mother Dairy Fruits and Vegetable Pvt Ltd. Mongolpuri New Delhi
13:30 - 14:30                  

Group Photo Day 3 and Lunch

14:30 - 17:00                  

Valedictory Session

Feedback & Reflection: Delegates share insights & takeaways from the workshop

Closing Remarks: concluding the workshop, thanking the participants, speakers, organisations, funding agencies & outlining future actions

Pictures from the 7th FLW Workshop, October/November 2023, New Delhi/India

Scroll to top