UN Report unveils global food waste crisis amid rising hunger

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
27 Mar 2024 17:42
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According to the latest UN report on food waste, approximately 79kg of food per person is wasted annually.

Recovered food is prepared to be distributed at a mobile food bank at Feeding Westchester in Elmsford, N.Y., Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023 (AP)

A report by the UN published on Wednesday revealed the gruesome extent of global food wastage as more than 730 million souls are struggling to access adequate nutrition.

The report titled "UN Food Waste Index" says that about a fifth of food is wasted globally, with the chief reasons being either profligacy or poor planning. Lack of access to refrigeration or storage was also cited as contributing factor.

The agency estimates that nearly $1 trillion worth of food are wasted every year.

Data shows that households are responsible for the majority of the world’s food waste, comprising about 60% of the approximately one billion tonnes discarded annually.

Commercial food systems also play a significant role, with food services contributing 28% of waste, and retail accounting for approximately 12% in 2022, the latest available figures.

An extra 13% of food is lost in the food supply chain, from harvest to market, often due to the rejection or spoilage of edible food.

This widespread waste not only depletes natural resources but also exacerbates climate and biodiversity crises, contributing to nearly 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Intensive farming practices, which allocate over a quarter of the world’s agricultural land to food production subsequently wasted, further exacerbate the displacement of wildlife.

The report's authors, which include Inger Andersen, the executive director of the UN Environment Programme, described food wastage as "a global tragedy," compounding this with the fact that a third of people face food insecurity globally.

"Millions will go hungry today as food is wasted across the world. Not only is this a major development issue, but the impacts of such unnecessary waste are causing substantial costs to the climate and nature," Andersen said.

Efforts to counter food wastage in some countries often fall short in addressing underlying systemic issues or engaging all stakeholders in meaningful solutions.

With data from over 100 countries, researchers can now assert with confidence that food waste is a global issue affecting both developing and affluent nations. In hotter climates, where food spoilage is accelerated and access to refrigeration is limited, more food tends to be discarded.

Moreover, despite lower incomes, poorer households dispose of food at a rate comparable to wealthier counterparts, possibly due to factors such as limited access to refrigeration and storage, reliance on lower-quality food, and time constraints for meal preparation.

Globally, approximately 79kg of food per person is wasted annually. However, several countries, such as the UK, Australia, Indonesia, Mexico, and South Africa, have significantly reduced food waste since 2007.

Japan has achieved a remarkable reduction of nearly a third, while the UK has cut its food waste by approximately 18%.