Estimates of Food Losses and Wastes at Each Node of the Wheat Value Chain in Morocco: Implications on Food and Energy Security, Natural Resources, and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Several research and development efforts have been made to ensure food security in developing countries. Dissemination of improved agricultural technologies was used as the main avenue through which some increases supply achieved. However, insecurity remains a major challenge. This paper argues provides empirical evidence that reducing loss waste can be an effective energy security, natural resource, environmental conservation strategy. Following life cycle framework, annual amount wheat-based lost or wasted from farm-to-fork Morocco estimated at 4 million tons (equivalent 36% total supply) valued US$1.0 billion. Among all nodes, magnitudes farm management-related losses, wastage during consumption, storage losses rank first third accounting for about 17.4%, 7.92%, 7.06%, respectively wheat country. Were these wastes entirely prevented, would able feed 29.3 more people, save 1.79 hectares land, 2.66 billion m3 water, 64.28 GJ energy, prevented emission landfills least 16.61 kg methane annually. Besides ongoing disseminate technologies, Moroccan government needs develop short- medium-term national strategies reduce particularly targeting consumption nodes. Replacing bread subsidy with vouchers only needy creation public awareness consequences alone may go long way them.