The Ccesp has proposed a national pact to combat food waste in Cote d'Ivoire, where millions of people suffer from hunger despite an abundance of food being wasted. On October 22, 2026, over 60 representatives from the government, private sector, and civil society gathered in Abidjan to discuss the findings of a study on the need for a regulatory framework to address food waste.
According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), households in Cote d'Ivoire waste approximately 89 kg of food per person per year, totaling around 2.9 million tons nationwide. However, these numbers are estimates, as there is a lack of national reference data. The study also found that existing laws and regulations related to food waste are scattered across different areas, including food safety, consumption dates, taxation, and waste management.
The fragmentation of laws and regulations has made it difficult to donate unsold food, as there is uncertainty about responsibilities and tax treatment. As a result, donating food can be more complicated than destroying it. The study, conducted with the support of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), recommends a mixed and progressive approach rather than immediately adopting a standalone law.
The study proposes nine recommendations, including measuring food losses, modernizing rules on consumption dates, securing donations, and adapting tax incentives. One of the top priorities is the creation of a National Pact to Combat Food Waste, which would bring together the government, businesses, distributors, restaurateurs, and redistribution organizations, such as food banks and associations.
The Director of Cabinet, Kouadio Jules, representing the Minister of National Cohesion, Solidarity, and Poverty Reduction, called for a shift from a "logic of loss to a logic of valorization, and from a logic of waste to a logic of sharing." Participants at the meeting discussed revising laws on consumption dates, introducing tax proposals favorable to donations, and establishing a multi-stakeholder working group under the Ccesp.
Georges Copré, representing the Executive Secretary of the Ccesp, Mariam Fadiga Fofana, emphasized that reducing food waste also has economic benefits, such as reducing costs, creating jobs, and preserving resources. The next step will be to transform these recommendations into concrete commitments, making the fight against food waste a shared responsibility.
Key points
- Cote d'Ivoire's households waste an estimated 89 kg of food per person per year.
- The proposed national pact aims to bring together government, businesses, and civil society to combat food waste.
- The study recommends a mixed and progressive approach to addressing food waste, rather than a standalone law.
