2021 International Year of Fruits and Vegetables
#IYFV2021
The UN General Assembly designated 2021 the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables (IYFV), and is focused on:
Increasing public, and policy-maker, attention on the many health benefits that come from eating a healthy balanced diet that is focused on fruits and vegetables;
Improving food systems (storage, transport, processing, and the sale of fruits and vegetables) to reduce food waste; and
Supporting innovation and the use of technologies aimed at preventiing loss and waste of fruits and vegetables, especially in developing countries.
Health benefits
Fruits and vegetables are good sources of dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals, (e.g. folate, vitamin A and C, potassium) and beneficial phytochemicals.
As part of a healthy diet, fruits and vegetables can help lower risk factors for non-communicable diseases, such as overweight/obesity, chronic inflammation, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
Food waste
Up to 50 percent of fruits and vegetables produced in developing countries are lost in the supply chain between harvest and consumption.
It can take up to 50 litres of water to produce an orange. Losses in fruits and vegetables represent a waste of increasingly scarce resources, such as soil and water.
Significant quantities of fruits and vegetables that are perfectly fit for consumption are wasted along the food system because of aesthetic or physical irregularities.