The FAO has proclaimed 2021 the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables — a call to consume these beneficial foods, as well as an invitation to build more sustainable agricultural systems.
The FAO has declared 2021 the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables. The aim is to raise public awareness of the health benefits of consuming fruits and vegetables, promote a healthy diet and lifestyle, reduce food waste and losses, and improve food production by making it more sustainable through innovation and technology, in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The term fruits and vegetables refers to the edible parts of plants — from flowers to roots, including sprouts — whether cultivated or wild, raw or minimally processed (that is, washed, trimmed or peeled, for example), and therefore retaining the properties of fresh produce. Starchy tubers and roots such as potatoes, as well as legumes, cereals, nuts and seeds, are not considered fruits and vegetables. Processed products such as fruit juices or plant-based meat substitutes are a separate matter altogether.
What are the health benefits of consuming fruits and vegetables? Fruits and vegetables are sources of fibre, vitamins, minerals and phytochemical compounds that promote the body's wellbeing, help strengthen the immune system and reduce risk factors for conditions such as obesity, chronic inflammation, hypertension and high cholesterol. To obtain their beneficial effects, fruits and vegetables must be consumed in adequate quantities every day, as part of a healthy and varied diet. In particular, at least five portions (or 400 grams) of fruit and vegetables per day should be consumed, introduced from as early as six months of age and maintained throughout life.
Due to the high perishability of fresh produce, fruits and vegetables are the foods that suffer the greatest losses and waste. It is estimated that up to 50 per cent of fruits and vegetables produced in developing countries are lost along the supply chain — that is, between the moment of harvest and consumption. This also means a loss and waste of resources: consider that producing a single orange can require up to 50 litres of water.
The International Year of Fruits and Vegetables therefore also seeks to invite reflection and action on storage, transport, trade, processing, transformation, and retail systems, in order to reduce waste and encourage recycling, by focusing on innovation, technology and improved infrastructure to increase the efficiency and productivity of fruit and vegetable supply chains. At stake is food sustainability — environmental and economic, but social too.
For the FAO, sustainable production also means greater availability, safety and economic accessibility of fruits and vegetables. Moreover, growing fruits and vegetables can be profitable on small plots of land that require low water and nutrient inputs and, particularly in developing countries, can therefore support smallholder farmers, generate income, create livelihoods, improve nutrition and food security, and strengthen resilience through locally managed, sustainably used resources and greater agrobiodiversity.