Reducing Food Wastage, Impact and Solutions

The International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste (FLW) is observed annually on September 29, co-convened by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). This day aims to raise awareness about the critical issues surrounding food loss and waste, emphasising their implications for food security and environmental sustainability.

Reducing Food Wastage: Introduction

• In a world where more people are going hungry every year since 2014, reducing food loss and waste is more important than ever.
• Every day, huge amounts of good food are either lost before reaching the market or wasted after.
• Globally, about 13.2% of food is lost between the farm and the store, and around 19% is wasted in homes, restaurants, and shops.
• Together, food loss and waste amount to above 30% of global production.
• If we can cut down on this waste, we could help feed millions of people and protect our planet’s precious resources.

Check here: International Day of Zero Waste

Main Drivers of Food Loss and  Waste Throughout the Supply Chain

Impact of Food Loss And Waste

• Hunger and Malnutrition: Food wastage can also negatively impact food security and food availability, and contribute to increasing the cost of food.
  • This excludes many people from accessing quality food owing to poor socio-economic conditions.
  • Example: In the Global Hunger Index 2023, India ranks 111^th out of 125 counties with 14% of Indians undernourished.

• Greenhouse Gas Emission: The disposal of food loss and waste in landfills, leads to greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to climate change.
  • Example: It accounts for approximately 8%-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
• Economic Impact: According to The United Nations Environment Programme estimates that India wastes 74 million tonnes of food each year, representing a loss of 92,000 crore rupees, and securing India second rank (after China).
• Wastage of Resources: When food is lost or wasted, all the resources that were used to produce this food – including water, land, energy, labour and capital – go to waste.

India’s Initiatives to Reduce Food Loss and Waste

• Indian Food Sharing Alliance (IFSA): It has been formed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to help solve India’s food waste and hunger crisis by working with various partner organisations, Food Recovery Agencies and NGO’s
• Taskforce Against Food Loss and Waste: A proposal is underway to establish a national Taskforce aimed at reducing food loss and waste (FLW) in India, aligning with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 12.3, which seeks to halve global food waste by 2030
• Operation Green: It aims to promote Farmer Producers Organizations (FPO), Agri-logistics, processing facilities and professional management of agri-produce.
• SAMPADA (Scheme for Agro-Marine Processing and Development of Agro-Processing Clusters) Yojana: This scheme involves developing an integrated cold chain and value addition infrastructure.
• Mega Food Parks: To enhance processing capabilities, improve cold chain infrastructure, and create a more efficient supply chain, thus reducing post-harvest losses
• National Food Security Act, 2013: It places an obligation on the government to deliver quality food at affordable prices to the poor.

What are the Solutions?

• Promoting Mechanization in Agriculture: Use of combine harvesters to reduce post-harvest losses, especially for crops like paddy.
  • Mechanization significantly cuts losses compared to manual harvesting.
  • Encouraging Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) and Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs) to facilitate group leasing of machinery, making it more accessible to small and marginal farmers.
• Improving Drying and Storage Infrastructure: Adoption of solar dryers and dehydrators to replace traditional sun drying, which is prone to contamination and uneven drying.
  • These green technologies are cost-effective and extend the shelf life of perishables.
  • Expansion of proper storage facilities to reduce grain loss.
  • The government’s plan to add 70 million metric tons (MMT) of storage capacity over five years can help minimise post-harvest losses.
• Revisiting Packaging Methods: Revising the Jute Packaging Material Act (JPMA, 1987) to promote the use of airtight bags instead of jute bags, which are prone to rodent attacks and pilferage in tropical climates.
  • Airtight bags can significantly reduce storage and transit losses.
• Enhancing Farming Practices: Food producers, including farmers, ranchers, and fishers, can minimise losses by adopting better farming practices, such as harvesting crops at the right maturity and using suitable equipment.
  • Example: Utilising weather apps like Mausam can help them optimise harvesting schedules and engage with wholesale retailers to manage order changes effectively.
• FIFO Method: The “First In, First Out” method encourages using older products before newer ones to ensure nothing expires unused.
• Promoting Food Donation Drives: Organizing food donation drives in communities can be a powerful way to channel excess food to those who require it most.
  • Example: Zero food wastage initiative by Dawoodi Bohras in Pune.
• Policy Support: Providing policy incentives to ensure small and marginal farmers can access advanced machinery, storage solutions, and infrastructure improvements.

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