Reducing on-farm food waste and unlocking its value for grower profitability and sustainability (HN24001)

Summary: 

Australian horticulture faces significant on-farm food waste, with up to 38% of crops lost annually depending on type. This waste sits across not just produce but also water, fertiliser, labour, and land use. Nationally, this equates to one million tonnes of lost produce, worth $2.5 billion, each year.  

This project aims to transform this challenge into an opportunity by reducing on-farm food waste and increasing grower profitability. It supports Australia’s National Food Waste Strategy and the United Nations Sustainability Development Goal 12.3 of halving food waste by 2030.  

The initiative will deliver evidence-based strategies tailored to Australian growing conditions, including revising produce specifications, exploring value-added uses for non-standard produce, and creating a Grower Knowledge Database. With strong grower participation, the project will deliver tools, training, and insights to help growers sell more, waste less, and tap into new revenue streams – ultimately improving sustainability and profitability across the horticulture sector.