An approach to Food Loss and Waste based on the commercial strategies of the platense Vegetable Belt’s producers

Abstract

It is estimated that Argentina annually loses and wastes 12.5% of its total agroalimentary production, which represents 16 million tonnes of food. The main reductions occur during the first links of the productive chain; and from the total, vegetables are the subgroup that faces the biggest reductions, reaching almost half of their production. In the present article we explore the Food Loss and Waste (FLW) of the platense Vegetable Belt (CHP by its initials in Spanish), identifying different types of production, conventional,
organic and agroecological, and the most extended commercial strategies for each one of them. The objective is to identify the food loss’ characteristics in the farm in relation with the commercialisation channels applied by the producers. The methodology includes the search and analysis of first and second source information. The field work includes qualitative methods of data collection, as in-depth interviews and direct observation in the area of investigation.
The results show how, beyond a spatio-temporal context that confronts CHP producers with shared challenges, the specifications of each commercial circuit absorb or expel food in a unique way. Likewise, the field work invites us to recognize the mechanisms practiced by agroecology that could contribute to the reduction of losses.