From 1–2 July 2025, the FOLOU consortium convened at the University of Bologna for its 5th project meeting, accelerating joint efforts to harmonise food loss quantification across Europe as the project reaches its halfway mark in its four-year journey.
Partners highlighted progress on six innovative measurement tools, piloted across sectors from agriculture and aquaculture to dairy production. These field-tested solutions feed directly into FOLOU’s key deliverables, including the Food Loss Quantification Manual and a methodological roadmap for five major commodity groups.
Working sessions featured case studies applying the FOLOU framework to measure food loss at primary production level. These on-the-ground insights inform the development of national and EU Food Loss Registries, while also shaping FOLOU’s capacity-building materials for a wide range of food systems stakeholders.
Parallel breakout sessions focused on shaping upcoming online training modules and co-developing practice guidelines and policy briefs designed to support future governance instruments and funding schemes. MIO-ECSDE, co-leading the project’s twinning and advocacy strategy, played an active role in moderating discussions and extracting lessons of particular relevance to the Mediterranean region—where food systems are under growing pressure due to rising temperatures and water scarcity, and land degradation.