Food Loss & Waste

  SANSAD TV - Discussion   May 19, 2024   110  Add to Reading List
Food Loss & Waste

Since 2019, the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste (IDAFLW) has been solemnly observed every 29th of September, with the overarching theme "Stop Food Loss and Waste! For People and Planet." This significant occasion gains immense relevance amidst the escalating global food insecurity crisis.

Current Scenario:

    • Approximately 14% of the world’s food is lost between harvest and retail, while around 17% is wasted in retail and at the consumption level.
    • Food loss and waste contribute to 38% of total energy usage in the global food system.
    • This issue accounts for 8 -10% of total global Greenhouse Gases (GHGs), leading to climate instability and extreme weather events.
    • Negative impacts include reduced crop yields, diminished nutritional quality, supply chain disruptions, and threats to food security and nutrition.
  • Sustainable Development Goals: Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12, target 12.3, aims to halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains.
  • Hunger Statistics: According to the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report (SOFI) 2022, global hunger affected approximately 828 million people in 2021, with an increase of about 46 million since 2020 and 150 million since 2019.
  • Access to Healthy Diet: An estimated 3.1 billion people worldwide lack access to a healthy diet.

Reasons Behind Food Loss and Waste:

  1. Inefficient Management Framework:

    • Lack of strict management framework for food security, leading to challenges such as leakages, diversion of food-grains, inclusion/exclusion errors, and weak grievance redressal mechanisms.
    • Issues in the Public Distribution System contribute to food loss and waste.

  2. Procurement Faults:

    • Farmers shifting from producing coarse grains to rice and wheat due to minimum support price policies.
    • Significant wastage, estimated at around Rs. 50,000 crore annually, due to improper accounting and inadequate storage facilities.

  3. Climate Change:

    • Changing precipitation patterns and the increase in extreme weather events like heatwaves and floods are reducing agricultural productivity, posing a threat to food security.
    • Impact of climate change on monsoon patterns, which irrigate a significant portion of India's agricultural land.

  4. Supply Chain Disruption:

    • Disruptions in the global supply chain, exacerbated by events like the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war.
    • Dependence on Russia and Ukraine for wheat imports, with 26 countries, primarily in Africa, West Asia, and Asia, relying on them for more than 50% of their wheat imports.

Initiatives Taken by India:

  1. Constitutional Provision:

    • While the Indian Constitution doesn't explicitly mention the right to food, Article 21's fundamental right to life can be interpreted to encompass the right to live with dignity, including access to food and basic necessities.

  2. Buffer Stock:

    • The Food Corporation of India (FCI) procures food grains at minimum support price (MSP) and stores them in warehouses across the country. These grains are then supplied to state governments as per their requirements.

  3. Public Distribution System (PDS):

    • PDS has become a crucial part of the government's food management policy. It provides supplemental food assistance and distributes commodities like wheat, rice, sugar, and kerosene to states/union territories (UTs).
    • Some states/UTs also distribute additional items like pulses, edible oils, salt, and spices through PDS outlets.

  4. National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA):

    • NFSA represents a shift towards a rights-based approach to food security.
    • It covers 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and Priority Households (PHH) categories.
    • AAY provides 35 kg of food grains per household per month to the poorest households, while PHH households receive 5 kg of food grains per person per month.
    • NFSA also includes special provisions for children aged 6 months to 14 years, ensuring access to free nutritious meals through Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) centres.

Conclusion:
In summary, addressing food loss and waste requires integrated, sustainable approaches globally and locally. Utilizing technology and innovative solutions is essential, along with transparent management of food stock holdings. Establishing foodgrain banks and subsidizing food through Aadhar-linked coupons can enhance food security and reduce wastage effectively.