Reduction Strategies for Food Loss and Waste in South African Supply Chains Over Eight Years

Food loss and waste remain significant challenges in South African supply chains, affecting agricultural productivity and food security. A longitudinal study employing quantitative methods including surveys and interviews to assess changes in practices and outcomes related to food loss reduction. During the study, there was a notable decrease in post-harvest losses from 25% to 18%, indicating effective implementation of recommended strategies. The findings suggest that targeted interventions can significantly reduce food waste across various stages of supply chains. Policy makers should prioritise funding for research and development of technology solutions, as well as capacity building programmes aimed at improving storage techniques, to further mitigate food loss in South Africa. The empirical specification follows $Y=\beta_0+\beta^\top X+\varepsilon$, and inference is reported with uncertainty-aware statistical criteria.