Integrating Ghana’s Food Waste Value Chain within a 24-Hour Economy: From losses to consumer-driven value creation 

I. INTRODUCTIONIn a world where 828 million people go hungry, nearly one-third of all food is wasted—one of the most visible yet overlooked crises of the modern era. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), approximately 1.3 billion tons of food are discarded annually, costing the global economy nearly $1 trillion. Meanwhile, as millions struggle with food insecurity, this very waste fuels another ecological catastrophe—climate change. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) reports that food waste contributes up to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, making it a silent yet significant driver of environmental degradation. This paradox of waste amid scarcity demands urgent action, as it directly undermines SDG 2 (zero hunger), SDG 12 (responsible consumption & production), and SDG 13 (climate action).Governments and businesses in developed economies have implemented innovative strategies to combat food waste. France has banned supermarkets from discarding unsold food, South Korea recycles nearly all food waste into bioenergy or animal feed, and Denmark has revolutionized waste reduction through discount stores selling surplus food. These models demonstrate that food waste is not merely an issue of inefficiency but an untapped economic resource that, when properly managed, can drive consumer-driven value creation through redistribution, alternative food markets, and sustainable food innovations.In Africa, however, food waste follows a different trajectory. Unlike wealthier nations, where waste occurs mainly at the consumer level, food loss on the continent predominantly happens upstream in the supply chain. An estimated 30-50% of food harvested in Sub-Saharan Africa never reaches consumers, leading to economic losses exceeding $4 billion annually. Ghana, a key agricultural economy in West Africa, loses between 30-40% of its total food production each year due to poor post-harvest handling, inadequate storage, inefficient transportation, and weak market linkages.Like many African nations that depend on rain-fed agriculture, Ghana faces a double-edged sword—overproduction in good seasons leads to post-harvest losses, while shortages in dry periods drive price hikes and food insecurity. This seasonal volatility, worsened by climate unpredictability, underscores the need for improved storage, efficient distribution networks, and adaptive food waste management systems that balance seasonal fluctuations.Traditionally, the limitations of the 8-hour economy have exacerbated inefficiencies in Ghana’s food supply chain, resulting in increased spoilage and losses due to time-constrained operations. However, transitioning to a fully operational 24-hour economy presents a transformative opportunity to bridge these gaps by enabling continuous food production, streamlined processing, efficient distribution, and extended retail hours. This model would not only minimize waste but also unlock new economic opportunities, inclu