USAID Food Loss and Waste Podcast Episode 5: The Triple Wins of Addressing Food Loss and Waste with Dina Esposito

This blog, written by Nika Larian, was originally posted on Agrilinks.

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 in hot or humid climates, 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. 

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 USAID and the U.S. Government’s approaches to FLW and provide a resource for those interested in what FLW is, why we should care and how we can reduce it. 

Our latest episode with Dina Esposito, who leads USAID’s Bureau for Resilience and Food Security, explores the Agency’s prioritization of and approach to addressing FLW, which produces “triple wins” on climate, nutrition and food security, sustainable food systems, and economic development, especially in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the global food security crisis. Listen on as Dina and Ann Vaughan, Senior Advisor for Climate Change, share USAID’s FLW funding and programming that engages women and youth.

You can subscribe to receive the latest episodes of USAID’s Kitchen Sink and listen to our original four 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 with experts from around the world to discuss FLW and methane emissions, the role of youth in addressing FLW, the economic costs of FLW, case studies from USAID Missions and more. 

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!