The 2025 International Conference on Reducing Food Loss and Waste was held in Jinan, Shandong Province, from July 24 to 26. Peng Qinghua, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, attended the conference and delivered a speech. Zhang Zhili, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lin Wu, Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Shandong Provincial Committee, and Qin Yuyun, Deputy Head of the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration (NFSRA), also participated and delivered remarks. The conference was chaired by Zhou Naixiang, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Shandong Provincial Committee and Governor of Shandong Province. 

Vice Chairman Peng noted that President Xi Jinping personally initiated and promoted the convening of the conference, guiding all parties to work together to reduce food loss and waste and safeguard global food security. He said it is essential to instill the concept that “less loss means more production, and greater efficiency leads to higher income” and to translate this awareness into concrete actions, thereby contributing to the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the goals of “zero hunger and zero poverty”. 

Vice Minister Zhang stated that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) is committed to the concept that less loss means more production and has taken concrete measures across multiple areas, including production management, disaster prevention and reduction, food processing and utilization, storage and logistics, and consumer awareness. A comprehensive food loss and waste reduction system covering the entire supply chain from field to table has taken shape. In 2024, mechanical harvesting losses for wheat, rice, and corn (the three key staples) were recorded at 0.93%, 1.76%, and 2.06%, respectively. Losses caused by pests and diseases were kept below 5% for all three, while losses in grain and oil processing were reduced to less than 1%. 

The conference was co-hosted by MARA, NFSRA and the Shandong Provincial People’s Government. The theme of the conference was “Reducing 

Food Loss and Waste: Tech Innovation and Global Action for a Food-Secure World.” The conference brought together more than 300 participants from 62 countries and international organizations. They included 28 officials at the ministerial level or above, such as the Deputy Prime Minister of Croatia, agriculture ministers from Burundi and other countries, and representatives from the FAO and the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), as well as ambassadors to China from Denmark, Micronesia, North Macedonia, and Equatorial Guinea. Attendees also included representatives from relevant provinces, research institutes, industry associations, and companies. The conference featured an opening ceremony, a main forum, and three sub-forums, as well as exhibitions on food loss and waste reduction achievements, smart agricultural machinery, and premium agro-products. The Review of the Jinan Initiative of the International Conference on Reducing Food Loss and Waste and the Action Plan for South–South Cooperation on Reducing Food Loss and Waste were issued. 

During the conference, Vice Minister Zhang met with Ismahane Elouafi, CGIAR Executive Managing Director. They exchanged views on strengthening cooperation in agricultural S&T.