Title: National Environmental Management: Waste Act 59 of 2008: Notice of extension of commenting period on the draft Strategy for reducing food losses and waste 

Gazette reference: GN 4138 in GG 49794 on 1 December 2023 

Deadline for public comments: 18 December 2023 

On 1 December 2023, the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, in terms of sections 72 and 73 of the National Environmental Management: Waste Act, extended the commenting period on the draft Strategy for Reducing Food Losses and Waste (as was published for public comments in GN 3888 on 19 September 2023). 

The South African Government is a signatory to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with specific focus on SDG12 which seeks to “ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns. Target 12.3 calls for cutting in half per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer level and reducing food losses along production and supply chains (including post-harvest losses) by 2030. 

The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment has developed the Food Losses and Waste Strategy as one of the key interventions of the National Waste Management Strategy (NWMS) 2020. The Food Losses and Waste Strategy was developed based on current research, reviews from sector experts and inputs from industry stakeholders. The result of this translated into a focused implementation plan with five strategic pillars and associated goals backed by strong legislative instruments and best practices.