Rwanda’s Food Waste Could Feed Millions. Small Businesses Are Showing How.

Every year, nearly half of Rwanda’s food supply goes uneaten.

Inadequate food storage and processing, spoiled harvests and household waste result in a 40% loss of the country’s total food production every year, equal to 12% of its GDP. In Kigali alone, household food waste accounts for 164 kilograms per person per year (361 pounds). In a country where 19% of households are food insecure, this is a staggering loss.

Beyond exacerbating food insecurity, food loss and waste carry significant environmental and economic costs. Resources such as land, water and energy are used to produce food that is never consumed, while farmers and businesses lose potential income. These inefficiencies directly affect smallholder farmers — the backbone of Rwanda’s food system.

And Rwanda isn’t alone. Post-harvest losses are a persistent challenge across Sub-Saharan Africa. Reducing food loss and waste can help ensure that growing populations don’t go hungry. One emerging solution is “circular food systems.”