Turkey’s National Strategy Document on prevention, reduction and monitoring of food loss and waste and its Action Plan.

The National Strategy Document on prevention, reduction and monitoring of food loss and waste and its Action Plan is a national policy with a cross-sectoral approach. This policy lays down actions to ensure a more sustainable and resilient food system and to contribute to the sustainability of the global consumption and production agri-food system. The strategic goals of this policy are: (I) prevention and reduction of food loss and waste, (II) food recovery and redistribution for direct human consumption, (III) converting former foodstuffs to animal feed, without competing with recovery and redistribution for direct human consumption, and (IV) recycling of food loss and waste.
In order to prevent and reduce food loss and waste, consumer awareness will be raised on the causes of and solutions to food waste at retail level and to food loss along the food chain from primary production to wholesale through training and workshops of suitable food storage conditions, the preservation and reuse of leftovers, and the importance of planned shopping. The level of food literacy will be increased among all consumers to change consumer behaviour. Food waste reduction tips will be disseminated for consumers at points of sale via training, social media, official Save Your Food Campaign website announcements etc. Food waste at retail level will be reduced by improving inventory management and tracking the shelf life of products. Furthermore, awareness on the methods of preparation and cooking, preserving leftovers, food storage, storage techniques, and prolonging shelf life of food, as well as purchasing adequate amounts of fruit and vegetables will be raised at the household level, in collaboration with women's associations, local authorities and non-governmental organizations. Food loss and waste will be integrated into the education curriculum and lifelong learning programmes to promote prevention of food loss and waste, collection of food waste and recycling, and improvement in students’ awareness of social responsibility.
Food loss and waste will be monitored and evaluated by all actors involved in the food chain, including small farmers, transporters, food processing establishments, retailers and households. Scientific studies and projects related to food loss along food supply chains, and waste reduction and collection and innovative assessment of waste from retail to household level, in line with bio-economic approaches, will be conducted. Food waste will be prevented through partnerships with other stakeholders operating in the areas of recovery and redistribution of safe and nutritious food for direct human consumption. A consultancy system on food loss and waste will be established for enterprises, farmers and retailers through the national extension services network. Institutional capacity on food safety, food recovery and the redistribution of safe and nutritious food for direct human consumption will be strengthened and the cooperation between the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and the relevant organizations will be enhanced at the national, regional and international levels.
The efficiency will be increased along the entire food supply chain to avoid discarding safe and nutritious food, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, due to their shape, colour and size. These products will be integrated into the market for human consumption through available channels, including digital technology, at each stage of the supply chain. Good hygiene practices will be developed for food establishments and minimum standards will be set for cold-chain vehicles used in food transportation. R&D studies on food safety, animal health, plant protection, digital technologies to increase productivity in the food chain, and traceability, will be supported. Handling and packaging systems will be developed in order to enable consumers to consume the entirety of products and ensure the products last longer, without compromising nutritional value by optimizing the size and design of food packaging and prioritizing the usage of recyclable materials.
The legal framework will be updated to ensure a better functioning food banking system and to facilitate other models of recovery and redistribution of safe and nutritious food for direct human consumption. Former foodstuffs which, for commercial reasons or due to manufacturing problems or certain defects, are no longer intended for human consumption, will be converted into animal feed in case they remain safe for use in animal nutrition. Organic wastes will be collected for composting facilities and converted to organic fertilizers. To this end, the capacity for separate segregation of organic waste from foodstuffs will be facilitated, and consumers and all food-related enterprises will be informed and trained about the organic waste categories that can be processed. Standards will be developed for the use of the products obtained from composting plants as soil conditioners in degraded land. Energy recovery will be ensured from organic wastes through proper management and recycling of huge volumes of food waste.