Estimated 931 mn tonnes of food wasted globally in 2019; India’s share 68 mn: UN report

By Mohammed Mujtaba khan Last updated Mar 5, 2021

An estimated 931 million tonnes of food had been wasted globally in 2019, sufficient to circle the Earth seven occasions, in keeping with a UN report which stated that family food waste in India is about 68.7 million tonnes a 12 months.

The Food Waste Index Report 2021, from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and accomplice organisation WRAP, stated that round 931 million tonnes of food waste was generated in 2019, sixty-one per cent of which got here from households, 26 per cent from food service and 13 per cent from retail.

“This suggests that 17 per cent of total global food production may be wasted,” it stated.

“The weight roughly equals that of 23 million fully loaded 40-tonne trucks — bumper-to-bumper, enough to circle the Earth seven times,” the UN company stated.

In India, the family food waste estimate is 50 kg per capita per 12 months, or 68,760,163 tonnes a 12 months.

The family food waste estimate in the US is 59 kg per capita per 12 months, or 19,359,951 tonnes a 12 months, whereas for China these estimates are 64 kg per capita per 12 months or 91,646,213 tonnes a 12 months.

The report appears at food waste that happens in shops, eating places and houses – counting each food and inedible components like bones and shells and presents essentially the most complete food waste knowledge assortment, evaluation and modelling up to now.

It finds that in practically each nation that has measured food waste, it was substantial, regardless of revenue degree.

It reveals that the majority of this waste comes from households, which discard 11 per cent of the full food accessible on the consumption stage of the availability chain.

Food companies and shops waste 5 per cent and a couple of per cent respectively.

On a worldwide per capita-level, 121 kgs of client degree food is wasted annually, with 74 kgs of this occurring in households, the UNEP stated in a press release.

“If we want to get serious about tackling climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste, businesses, governments and citizens around the world have to do their part to reduce food waste,” Executive Director of the UNEP Inger Andersen stated.

The report stated that food waste has substantial environmental, social and financial impacts. At a time when local weather motion continues to be lagging, 8-10 per cent of world greenhouse fuel emissions are related to food that isn’t consumed, when losses earlier than client degree are taken under consideration.

“Reducing food waste would cut greenhouse gas emissions, slow the destruction of nature through land conversion and pollution, enhance the availability of food and thus reduce hunger and save money at a time of global recession,” Andersen stated.

The report famous that with 690 million folks affected by starvation in 2019, an estimate that’s anticipated to rise sharply because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and three billion folks unable to afford a nutritious diet, shoppers need assistance to cut back food waste at residence.

It stated international locations can elevate local weather ambition by together with food waste in Nationally Determined Contributions to the Paris Agreement, whereas strengthening food safety and reducing prices to households.

This makes food waste prevention additionally a main space for inclusion in COVID-19 restoration methods.

“For a long time, it was assumed that food waste in the home was a significant problem only in developed countries,” stated Marcus Gover, CEO of WRAP.

“With the publication of the Food Waste Index report, we see that things are not so clear cut. With only nine years to go, we will not achieve SDG 12 Target 3 if we do not significantly increase investment in tackling food waste in the home globally. This must be a priority for governments, international organisations, businesses and philanthropic foundations,” Gover stated.

Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) goal 12.3 goals at halving per-capita world food waste on the retail and client ranges and decreasing food losses alongside manufacturing and provide chains. One of the 2 indicators for the goal is the Food Waste Index.

Andersen stated that there’s rising proof of success in decreasing food waste – although not on the scale wanted to attain the goal.

“Much more can be done. We need, for example, to address the role of consumer behaviour, in all cultural contexts, in achieving the target. Let us all shop carefully, cook creatively and make wasting food anywhere socially unacceptable while we strive to provide healthy, sustainable diets to all,” Andersen added.

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