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Knowledge4Policy
Knowledge for policy

Supporting policy with scientific evidence

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  • Publication | 2022

Impacts of food wastage on economic growth

This paper attempts to identify the impact of food wastage on economic growth using the data for 165 countries over the 2014–2018 period. With the help of ordinary least squares (OLS) and generalized linear model (GLM), the study shows that food wastage and poverty impact GDP growth negatively. Poverty and food wastage are positively related. Reducing food wastage can lead to poverty reduction, stimulating GDP growth. Measures are required to reduce food wastage, especially in middle-income countries with a high undernourishment rate. Food wastage reflects poor regulatory capacity, and strengthening the institutional quality can also reduce the wastage of food.