Would you believe it? In Kenya, up to 40 percent of the food produced is thrown away. Instead of going to waste, it could feed 14 million people who are unable to obtain enough food on a daily basis to sustain themselves.

That's right, Kenya is wasteful while one in four citizens struggles to survive.

This is according to a new report by the World Resources Institute (WRI) Africa entitled Food Loss and Waste in Maize, Potato, Fresh Fruits, and Fish Value Chains in Kenya 2025.

According to the study, which is the most comprehensive analysis ever conducted in the country, losses amount to approximately nine million tons per year, with an approximate value of $580 million.

In short, 500,000 trucks, each carrying 18 tons, could leave and deliver food to the needy population if there were solutions to address waste.

It would be essential to improve storage, the cold chain, transport, packaging, and other preservation techniques.

Looking at individual products, the report shows that Kenya loses up to 36% of its corn, 23% of its potatoes, 34% of its fish, and as much as 56% of its fresh fruit before these products reach consumers. Among fruits, mangoes have the highest losses (17-56%), followed by avocados (15-35%) and bananas (7-11%).

Losses could also mean cheaper products, such as corn flour, an essential food for Kenyan families, fresh and safe fish, affordable fruit for everyone, including children, more resilient markets, and stable prices. In addition, inefficiencies in supply chains hurt businesses, and small farmers see their incomes disappear.

If Kenya halved its food losses and waste by 2030, the report estimates that it could feed an additional seven million people per year, inject 36 billion shillings into the economy, and reduce carbon emissions by seven million tons, supporting both national food security and climate goals.