Efforts by developing countries to maximise food production and generate job-creation by moving to expand their agro-processing sectors could come under closer official scrutiny following claims made in a recent study published by the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization (UNFAO) that the pursuits of food processing, packaging, transport, household consumption and waste disposal “are pushing the food supply chain to the top of the greenhouse gas emitters list.”
The findings of the study presented at last November’s high-profile COP26 Climate Conference in Scotland is less than welcome news, particularly in poor countries where agro-processing is both a significant employer of labour as well as a key contributor to food security.