India’s food system is large and diverse - supporting the economy, rural livelihoods, and food access across the country. Yet, food continues to be lost or wasted across the supply chain, from farms to kitchens. These inefficiencies result in major environmental, economic, and social costs. Post-harvest losses in India are valued at over ₹1.5 lakh crore annually (NABCONS, 2022), while households waste around 7.82 crore tonnes of food each year—equivalent to 55 kg per person (UNEP, 2024).

Globally, food loss and waste (FLW) contribute to nearly 30% of agricultural land use and 8–10% of greenhouse gas emissions (UNEP, 2024), with 13.2% of food lost post-harvest and 19% more wasted at the retail and household levels (FAO, 2025). FLW also deepens social inequities, disproportionately affecting smallholder and women farmers and low-income, climate-vulnerable communities. Addressing these losses is essential for strengthening India’s food security, improving sustainability outcomes, and meeting Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12.3, which aims to halve per capita food waste and reduce supply chain losses by 2030 (Flanagan, Robertson, & Hanson, 2019).

While food loss refers to losses during production, storage, and transport, food waste occurs closer to the consumer, such as in markets, restaurants, and homes. Addressing both requires clarity, collaboration, and coordinated strategies across the food system.

RESET: Dialogues to Reduce Food Loss & Waste in India 2025

To bring these critical issues of food loss and food waste to the forefront and co-create solutions for tackling these issues in India, WRI India is organizing RESET: Dialogues to Reduce Food Loss & Waste in India 2025 on August 5–6, 2025, in New Delhi. This two-day national event will bring together a wide range of stakeholders—policy makers, businesses, researchers, civil society organisations, local governments, academia and members of the HoReCa (Hotel, Restaurant, Catering) sector.

RESET 2025 will provide a platform for dialogue, learning, and collaboration. The event will focus on understanding the problem, setting the national context, and identifying immediate opportunities for action, while also exploring how to institutionalize efforts, scale innovations, and align FLW reduction with business and sustainability strategies. The key themes of discussions will include–

  • Behavioral change among consumers
  • Capacity building for food producers and supply chain actors
  • Technology adoption and innovations
  • Policy frameworks, financial models, and sustainability strategies
  • Local and city-level interventions

Participants will engage through expert panels, keynote sessions, evidence-based case studies, and solution showcases. RESET 2025 will also feature an exhibition showcasing innovative solutions and technologies aimed at reducing food loss and waste across the value chain. 

Whether you're shaping food policy, working in agri-business, running a kitchen, supporting farmers, or driving innovation—Reset 2025 offers an opportunity to contribute to a national movement to reduce food loss and food waste.

Join us as we rethink how our food is produced, valued, and consumed—toward a more resilient and sustainable food future for India. Register now!