Innovations pour into Institution-Forum Asia-Pacific food loss reduction project

Institution experiences overwhelming response to global mapping project on innovations in food loss reduction with application potential in Asia-Pacific. ​

Last month the Institution and Forum for the Future launched an exciting international project focused on finding the world’s leading innovations in cold chain technology, packaging, ICT and supply chain structure that have real potential to achieve scalable food loss reductions in Asia-Pacific (APAC).

Working in partnership, our two organisations are together building the world’s first-ever digital ‘Global Food Logistics Innovations Map’, to visually illustrate how and where new innovations are reducing food losses and improving supply chain sustainability. The ultimate outcome of this work will be an increase in the food security of citizens across APAC and a reduction in the environmental and resource consumption footprint of the region’s food supply sector.

Since the launch of this ground-breaking initiative on 29 September innovations have been pouring in from all over the world to the project HQ in Forum’s Singapore office and the team are now working hard to gather supporting information and populate the map. Submissions received to date have ranged from a system of shipping container sensors that delivers real-time ambient and product temperature data for improved consignment management; a reusable packaging rental program to simultaneously reduce perishable food losses and packaging waste; a liquid nitrogen ‘fuelled’ transport refrigeration system; and on-line services that help improve produce demand forecasting.

Assessing, categorising and presenting these innovations has itself lead to substantial innovation at Forum in the digital mapping space and the Institution has played its part as a leading independent source of technical expertise by providing verification and categorisation advice. A BBC World Service programme focused on digital innovation featured this ground breaking project in one of its recent episodes (listen 8 mins 35 seconds into the programme).

Our aim is to catalyse innovation transfer across the globe, helping connect APAC businesses with the technical solutions they need to reduce food losses, and such is the international recognition of our leadership in this area that the ADM Institute for the Prevention of Postharvest Loss has teamed up with us and joined the partnership. In addition to making the map publically available next month our project team will be holding an intensive one-day workshop in Singapore on 29 November to enable innovators and key APAC food supply chain players to come together and explore opportunities for localisation, piloting and adoption of the most promising solutions next year. Innovators and APAC supply chain decision makers interested in joining the event are encouraged to contact Gwyneth Fries at Forum for registration details.