Prime Minister (PM) Harini Amarasuriya underscored the need for urgent and unified action to combat food loss and insecurity during the high-level policy dialogue titled ‘Beyond Waste: Optimizing Food, Water, and Energy for Better Nutrition in South Asia’, held in Colombo.

Co-hosted by the World Bank and the Government of Sri Lanka, with support from the Gates Foundation, the two-day regional event aims to drive solutions for reducing food waste and improving nutrition and sustainability.

Delivering the keynote address, the Prime Minister emphasised integration, innovation, and inclusion as critical lessons for advancing food security, while calling for stronger engagement of technology, women, and youth in food systems reform.

Notable attendees included Environment Minister Dhammika Patabandi, World Bank official David Sislen, Gates Foundation Director Archna Vyas, and BIMSTEC Secretary General Indra Mani Pandey.