South Asia, with a population nearing two billion, continues to lose up to 40% of its food before it reaches consumers. Rising climate risks, ongoing undernutrition, and a growing youth demographic present both challenges and opportunities for the region’s food systems.
At World Food India 2025 in New Delhi, the South Asian Policy Leadership for Improved Nutrition and Growth (SAPLING) convened a special session supported by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries. Representatives from Bhutan, India, Maldives, and Sri Lanka participated in discussions on transforming food systems through processing innovation and circular economy approaches.
Bhutan is addressing its annual loss of half its fruits and vegetables by updating national policies to include food loss assessments and providing subsidies covering up to 70% of storage, transport, and packaging costs for farmer groups. In Maldives, where food waste makes up 60% of municipal waste, authorities are incorporating circular economy models into urban planning while exploring biotech solutions to ease pressure on waste management systems.
India processes only about 12% of its agricultural output—much lower than the global average—but local initiatives are beginning to change this trend. In Rajasthan, the Nilgiri Farmer Producer Organization links over 750 women who collectively run a custard apple processing center that generated ₹6.6 million in turnover and ₹2 million in profit last year.
S4S Technologies focuses on empowering women smallholders with solar-powered processing equipment. Their modular solar dryers reduce drying times from six days to just six or eight hours. Working with 5,000 women farmers in India and Ghana has resulted in annual additional incomes between $400–$2,000 per participant. The company reports preventing 100,000 tons of food waste annually while generating $45 million in revenue and reaching some 300,000 farmers.
“Food processing is not just about agriculture production. It’s about rural transformation,” said Paul Procee, Acting Country Director for India at the World Bank.
Sri Lanka faces similar challenges with an estimated annual food loss rate of 40%. Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe emphasized Sri Lanka’s move toward market-driven agribusiness: “Let us seize this moment. Let us move from waste to wealth, from challenge to opportunity. Sri Lanka stands ready to lead and learn, to partner and innovate, for a future where no harvest is wasted, no youth is left behind, and every citizen enjoys the benefits of a sustainable food system.”
Sri Lankan efforts now focus on value-added services such as logistics and marketing alongside investment in digital platforms and AI-driven solutions aimed at increasing opportunities for youth and marginalized groups. The government also invests in climate-resilient crops as well as cold chain infrastructure through projects like the Integrated Rurban Development and Climate Resilience Project supported by the World Bank.
Technology companies are contributing as well; Senzagro Solutions provides precision farming tools that support more than 29,000 farmers across Sri Lanka and ten other countries—a $13 investment per farmer reportedly yields sevenfold returns per transaction.
Entrepreneurs throughout South Asia are developing new ways to minimize waste: GreenPod Labs’ plant-based packaging extends shelf life without cold storage by up to 60%, preserving around 25,000 tons monthly; Vietnam Food processes nearly 100,000 tons of shrimp byproducts each year while significantly reducing water usage.
“Minimizing food loss and waste is central to building a resilient, sustainable, and inclusive food system,” said A.P. Das Joshi from India’s Ministry of Food Processing Industries.
Financial institutions like India’s National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) have introduced open-ended loans at competitive rates specifically targeting green projects often overlooked by traditional banks. Public-private partnerships further improve access for smallholder farmers by supporting cold chains as well as storage facilities across South Asia.
Through regional cooperation fostered by organizations like SAPLING—and driven by policy changes alongside grassroots entrepreneurship—the region seeks not only improved nutrition but also increased job creation through more resilient agri-food systems.