- Indonesia’s food waste has reached critical levels, with BRIN estimating that the food currently discarded could feed between 61 million and 125 million people if managed properly [web:1][web:4][web:9].
- Annual food loss and waste of around 115–184 kilograms per capita underscores deep inefficiencies across Indonesia’s food production and consumption systems over the past two decades [web:1][web:5][web:10].
- Tackling food loss and waste could significantly cut greenhouse gas emissions and prevent economic losses estimated at Rp 200 trillion to Rp 500 trillion per year, strengthening national food security [web:1][web:3][web:9].
Jakarta — Indonesia is grappling with a severe food waste crisis, with discarded food potentially sufficient to feed tens of millions of people, according to the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN).
BRIN head Arif Satria revealed that food loss and waste in Indonesia currently ranges between 115 and 184 kilograms per capita annually. He stressed that reducing this figure could significantly ease pressure on national food production.
“Improving productivity is not solely about increasing output. By reducing food waste, we can already address part of the problem. Our food waste ranges from 115 to 184 kilograms per capita, which means a substantial amount of food is simply being discarded,” Arif said during the Food Security for Golden Indonesia event at Kempinski Hotel, Jakarta, on Wednesday.
Arif noted that food loss and waste is a global issue, accounting for roughly one-third of total food production worldwide. In Indonesia, losses also occur early in the supply chain, with about 11 percent of food lost during the production stage.
“From the moment crops are harvested, around 11 percent is already lost. This happens largely because many farmers still rely on traditional harvesting methods,” he explained.
He added that addressing food loss and waste could have far-reaching impacts, including the potential to feed between 61 million and 125 million people, reduce emissions, and cut economic losses significantly.
“We could feed between 61 and 125 million people. We could also reduce emissions and prevent economic losses ranging from Rp 200 trillion to Rp 500 trillion. These are the potential gains if we manage food loss and waste effectively,” he concluded.
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