Fez — Morocco’s Economic, Social and Environmental Council, known by its French acronym CESE, is sounding the alarm on food waste, citing figures that show Moroccan households discarded about 4.2 million tons of food in 2022, or roughly 113 kilograms per person per year.
The CESE presented its latest opinion on the issue this week in Rabat, framing food loss and waste as a national challenge with economic, social, and environmental costs. CESE President Abdelkader Aamara warned that the problem extends beyond homes and is present across the food value chain, from production and harvest to storage, transport, retail, and consumption.
Losses start long before the table
According to the CESE, upstream losses can be severe in certain sectors, particularly fruits, vegetables, and cereals, where losses are estimated at 20% to 40% during stages such as harvesting, storage, and transport.
These losses translate into direct financial damage for farmers and distributors, while also weakening food availability and price stability.
The council also emphasized the hidden resource cost of wasted food. It cited estimates indicating that around 1.6 billion cubic meters of water are used annually to produce food that never reaches final consumption, adding pressure to a country already facing water stress.
A push for a national plan and a specific law
The CESE argues that existing initiatives remain scattered and insufficiently coordinated, calling for a structured national response that treats food waste reduction as a pillar of sustainable food policy.
Among its key proposals is a national action plan and the adoption of a specific anti-waste law, including measures aimed at limiting the destruction of unsold food and facilitating redistribution to charities and food aid networks.
The council also recommends clarifying expiry date rules to reduce confusion between safety-related dates and quality-related dates, a misunderstanding that often leads households to throw away still-edible products.
Better logistics, better data, more accountability
On the operational side, the CESE highlights the need to strengthen logistics and cold-chain infrastructure, especially in high-potential agricultural zones, to prevent losses before products reach markets.
It also calls for stronger governance across ministries, local authorities, and private operators, alongside the creation of a national observatory to centralize data and track progress.
