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The Uniqueness of Israeli Food Production and Consumption
In a small, arid country like Israel, water and land are valuable, limited resources. The need to use land and water resources to grow surplus agricultural produce that is later lost or wasted, incurs further environmental and social costs, beyond the direct economic cost.
The nutritional components found in food are derived almost entirely from agricultural products, including vegetables, fruits, legumes, dairy products, eggs, meat, fish and oils. At the same time, agricultural production has an inherently high level of uncertainty resulting from external factors such as pests, weather, diseases, and more.
This report examines the issue of food waste and the economic, social, and environmental viability of its rescue, based on quantifiable estimates and assessments. It includes updated data and methodological improvements based on experience accumulated during the preparation of the six previous reports. This year’s report also includes a special, expanded section presenting an international comparison of food waste and rescue policy, written in cooperation with the Harvard Law School Food Law and Policy Clinic (FLPC) (4), and the Global FoodBanking Network (GFN) (5) who have launched the Global Food Donation Policy Atlas (6).
