Accurate global food losses and waste (FLW) quantification remains challenging owing to limited harmonized global estimates, a lack of comprehensive quantification approaches and an absence of frameworks for addressing FLW challenges. Here we compile a country-level database that assesses FLW across global value chains and quantifies the nutritional and environmental impact of FLW for 121 countries and 20 composite regions. Between 2004 and 2014, FLW increased by a quarter, especially in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia, where increasing nutritional losses of ~550 cal per capita per day impact food security. Growing food imports in high-income countries and fast-growing economies worsened FLW and related environmental footprints in exporting low-income regions. Reducing overconsumption and FLW in high-income countries may have positive effects in middle- and low-income countries, where food exports largely drive farm-level losses. Policies should focus on promoting the profitable reuse of unavoidable FLW while enhancing agricultural production efficiency to improve water use and nutritional security.

由于全球统一估计有限、缺乏全面的量化方法以及缺乏应对 FLW 挑战的框架，准确的全球粮食损失和浪费 (FLW) 量化仍然具有挑战性。我们在这里编制了一个国家级数据库，评估全球价值链中的粮食损失与浪费，并量化粮食损失与浪费对 121 个国家和 20 个综合区域的营养和环境影响。2004 年至 2014 年间，粮食损失与浪费增加了四分之一，特别是在撒哈拉以南非洲和东南亚，人均每天营养损失增加约 550 卡路里，影响粮食安全。高收入国家和快速增长经济体不断增长的粮食进口加剧了低收入出口地区的粮食损失与浪费和相关环境足迹。减少高收入国家的过度消费和粮食损失与浪费可能会对中等收入和低收入国家产生积极影响，这些国家的粮食出口在很大程度上造成了农场层面的损失。政策应侧重于促进不可避免的 FLW 的盈利性再利用，同时提高农业生产效率，以改善用水和营养安全。