Ireland has established targets for food waste and loss (FWL) reduction as part of national and international commitments, specifically 50% reduction by 2030. Food waste (post-harvest) and loss (pre-harvest) not only represents the material loss of food that could otherwise reach consumers, but also loss of investment for food businesses, and inefficiencies in resource use that have broader social and environmental impacts in addition to financial costs. 

Food waste from primary production is estimated to account for 7% of national food waste levels, while primary producers also experience the bulk of food loss due to their position in the supply chain. In this sense, primary producers are especially vulnerable to FWL. 

Irish research has identified some of the causes of FWL in primary production, finding that FWL predominantly arises due to agro-ecological conditions, e.g. farm practices, and market conditions, e.g. purchasing specifications. Knowledge gaps persist concerning the specific market conditions that contribute to primary production FWL, and their impacts. In order to adequately address these issues at a national level, including in the next update of Ireland’s Food Waste Roadmap after 2025, further research is required to understand non-husbandry and climate-related causes of FWL and their impacts, and develop relevant policy, practice and research recommendations. 

The RETAIN project will address these gaps through:

• Literature and policy review;
• RETAIN Living Lab involving 16 producers from different supply chain types, producing products vulnerable to non-husbandry and climate-related FWL;
• Development and validation of final research, policy and practice recommendations, including with policymakers in an interactive policy workshop.

This research will develop knowledge about non-husbandry and climate-related FWL, empower producers to trial FWL mitigation solutions and exchange FWL mitigation knowledge with peers, and provide relevant, validated FWL research recommendations to address persistent knowledge gaps and FWL mitigation recommendations for policymakers and producers.