Aligning with sustainable development goals (SDG) 12: A systematic review of food waste generation in Malaysia

Abstract

The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12.3, which aims to cut global food waste at the retail and consumer levels in half by 2030, is in line with Malaysia’s Twelfth Plan (2021–2025). Malaysia is pursuing the planetary goals by executing sustainable procedures to produce primary data on the actual generation of food waste and meet SDG 12.3 aim of tracking food waste management at the national level. The quantification and classification of food waste from various sectors, as well as the identification of food waste compositional analysis and Malaysian food waste management procedures, require more thorough documentation. This research uses a systematic and critical literature review to comprehend the formation of food waste from various sources, besides identifying the important aspects that determine the composition of food waste and the standard protocols for managing food waste in Malaysia. After a thorough search, 20 papers were selected for systematic analysis. The review identified three major issues based on thematic analyses: the source of food waste generation in Malaysia, food waste composition, and food waste management. Upon further analysis, these three core motifs yielded eight subthemes. The article informs policymakers about the existing problems with food waste generation in Malaysia and ideas for achieving sustainability in this area. In order to meet the 2030 Agenda, efforts will be made to empower state governments, authorities, and local communities to reduce food waste generation.