New Delhi, July 9, 2026 – WRI India today hosted the second edition of RESET: Dialogues to Reduce Food Loss and Food Waste in India in collaboration with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the Friends of Champions (FoC) 12.3 India network. Building on the momentum of its inaugural edition last year, RESET 2026 focused on the role of food loss and waste reduction in strengthening livelihoods, improving nutrition outcomes, and enabling more resilient and inclusive food systems.

Addressing the gathering, Dr. Devinder Dhingra, Principal Scientist, ICAR-Central Institute of Post-Harvest Engineering and Technology (CIPHET) said, “Reducing post-harvest losses is essential to improving farmers' incomes and making India's agricultural growth more sustainable. The focus must now be on developing demand-driven innovations that meet farmers' requirements, expanding access to finance and accelerating the adoption of technologies through training and partnerships. This collective approach will help build a more efficient and resilient agri-food system."

About 7.82 crore tonnes of food is wasted annually at the household level (Food Waste Index Report, 2024), while post-harvest losses are estimated at 68.9 million metric tonnes, costing INR 1.53 lakh crore annually (NABARD, 2022). The two-day convening brings together over 200 stakeholders from across government, food and agriculture businesses, producers, development partners, financial institutions, academia, innovators, bulk waste generators and civil society.

At the event, WRI India launched the India Food Waste Emission Estimation Tool, a greenhouse gas (GHG) calculator that equips governments, businesses and other stakeholders with a practical methodology to estimate greenhouse gas emissions associated with food waste. By enabling organisations to measure emissions, identify hotspots and evaluate mitigation opportunities, the tool supports evidence-based decision-making and strengthens efforts to integrate food loss and food waste reduction into climate action and sustainability strategies.

Dr. Ruchika Singh, Executive Program Director, Food, Land and Water, WRI India said, “Inaction on Food loss and food waste does not just lead to environmental challenges but also impacts incomes of people across the food supply chain, including farmers. To mitigate these impacts, we need to look beyond food production and examine the entire food system, from post-harvest management and logistics to consumption patterns. We also need to unlock different types of finance to catalyse innovations and behaviour change along with decentralised and integrated value addition systems. But fragmented efforts alone cannot deliver the scale of impact we need. RESET 2026 creates an important space to bring together government, businesses, researchers, financial institutions, civil society, innovators and development partners to build consensus, navigate trade-offs, and identify practical pathways for collective action.”

RESET 2026 hosted sessions on strengthening post-harvest management, enabling supportive policy frameworks, scaling technology and business innovations, unlocking finance, promoting sustainable consumption, advancing urban food waste prevention, and strengthening food recovery and redistribution systems.

Representatives from RESET 2026's thematic partners also highlighted the importance of collaborative action to reduce food loss and food waste and build resilient food systems. Takayuki Hagiwara, India Country Representative, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) said, “Most post-harvest losses occur at the farm level. By directing smart investments towards post-harvest management at the farm level and supporting innovations that balance food loss reduction with environmental sustainability, we can make meaningful progress towards more resilient food systems."

On reducing food loss and food waste, Dr. Gayatri Acharya, Practice Manager for Agriculture and Food in South Asia, World Bank, said, “Our focus must be on reducing food loss by creating an enabling environment. This requires policies that are fit for purpose, patient capital that can de-risk innovation, and stronger partnerships across the value chain. By investing in circular solutions, building trust around food safety standards, and supporting small and medium enterprises with risk-sharing/derisking mechanisms, we can unlock new economic opportunities that build a food system that is more resilient, efficient and prepared for future challenges."

RESET 2026 also showcased an exhibition featuring innovative solutions aimed at reducing food loss and food waste across the food supply chain, with participants including The MisFits, RuKart, Gofig, Coldeasy, Roti Foundation, Bioleather, Billion Carbon and Newcycl among others.

As India advances towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 12.3 – to halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains by 2030 – RESET continues to serve as a national platform for fostering partnerships, sharing knowledge and catalysing collective action across the food system.

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WRI India, an independent knowledge organisation registered as India Resources Trust, provides objective information and practical proposals to foster environmentally sound and socially equitable development. Through research, analysis, and recommendations, WRI India puts ideas into action to build transformative solutions to protect the earth, promote livelihoods, and enhance human well-being. Know more: wri-india.org

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