Plastic products have become a convenient tool in many areas of life, and agriculture is no different. In late 2021, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) released a landmark report assessing the use of plastics in agriculture. The report calculated that, in 2019, agricultural value chains used 12.5 million tonnes of plastic products in plant and animal production and 37.3 million tonnes in food packaging. They can also transfer and accumulate in food chains, threatening food safety, food security and potentially human health. What FAO is doingGiven that much plastic waste can be attributed to agrifood systems, FAO is increasingly designing solutions and supporting governments in sustainably managing agricultural plastics.

Source: The North Africa Journal June 05, 2023 16:33 UTC