REDUCING FOOD LOSS AND WASTE IN UZBEKISTAN: CHALLENGES AND POLICY SOLUTIONS

Abstract

Food loss and waste constitute significant economic, social, and environmental challenges
that directly affect food security, household welfare, agricultural profitability, and the efficient use of natural
resources. In Uzbekistan, population growth, accelerating urbanization, water scarcity, climate-related
production risks, and increasing demand for higher-quality food are placing growing pressure on the national
agrifood system. Despite the expansion of horticultural production, processing, cold-storage infrastructure,
and export capacity, substantial food losses may still occur due to fragmented value chains, inadequate postharvest
handling, limited temperature-controlled logistics, seasonal market imbalances, inconsistent packaging
and quality standards, and insufficient measurement of food waste at the retail, food-service, and household
levels. The study examines the principal economic and institutional drivers of food loss and waste in Uzbekistan
and develops differentiated policy solutions for their reduction. A qualitative analytical methodology is applied,
drawing on national strategic documents, international reports, sectoral evidence, and an economic analysis of
incentives throughout the food supply chain. The findings indicate that food losses are concentrated primarily
at the production, post-harvest handling, storage, transportation, wholesale, and processing stages, whereas
consumer-level food waste is associated with purchasing habits, food preparation practices, portion sizes,
misunderstanding of date labels, and inadequate separation of organic waste. The absence of a unified national
measurement system constrains accurate assessment of the scale, composition, and monetary value of food
loss and waste. The findings support the establishment of a national prevention framework based on reliable
measurement, stronger value-chain coordination, investment in cold-chain and processing infrastructure,
improved contractual relations, economic incentives for food donation and redistribution, consumer education,
and the circular utilization of unavoidable organic residues. Priority should be given to prevention, as retaining
food for human consumption generally generates greater economic and social value than recycling or disposal.
These measures can contribute to improved food affordability, higher rural incomes, water conservation,
climate-change mitigation, and progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 12.3.