Trained to Reduce Food Waste: Evidence from an RCT with Micro-sized and Small Enterprises in Cusco’s Hospitality Industry

Food waste from restaurants contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and puts pressure on urban waste systems, especially in low and middle-income countries. We conducted a randomized controlled trial to assess whether food waste management training reduces kitchen-level organic waste in micro-sized and small restaurants in the hospitality industry in Cusco, Peru, a major global tourist destination. We find that the intervention reduces food waste generation by 10 percent in the trained restaurants. We also find that it improved the staff’s knowledge and awareness of food waste management practices. A simple cost-benefit analysis suggests that skills-building interventions can improve the pro-environmental performance of micro and small firms and can be implemented with a positive net benefit to society.