By Vikas Parasram Meshram
In Indian philosophy of life, in the tradition of respecting food as prasad, it has been given the name Brahman. Even today people of the responsible generation bow down to food before eating and take it out mouth first for animals. The purpose of this is the importance of food and its proper use. A report by the United Nations Environment Program ( UNEP) has revealed the dark truth that 19 percent of food is wasted worldwide . Another scary fact is that about 783 million people in the world suffer from chronic hunger. The dire situation of this hunger crisis in war-torn Gaza is coming to light time and time again.
Food Waste Crisis in India
The recent United Nations report has exposed the harsh reality that despite adequate resources, equitable distribution of food grains is not taking place. In other words, it is also a moral crisis. In fact , food waste also destabilizes our environment in a way. There is definitely this crisis in India as well. Food wastage is a major challenge from a food security perspective. According to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India , one-third of the total food in India spoils before consumption. According to an estimate , this waste is expected to be fifty kilos of food per person in a year.
Magnitude of Food Waste in India
More than 78 million tonnes of food is wasted and wasted in India every year. On a per capita basis, the country is wasting an average of 55 kg of food every year. This information has been revealed in the new report ‘ Food Waste Index Report 2024 ‘ released by the United Nations Environment Program ( UNEP). Earlier in the ‘ Food Waste Index Report ‘ released in 2021, this figure of food wasted per person is 50 kg annually. was recorded. Total household food wastage in India that year was recorded at 6.88 crore tonnes. These figures relate to household food wastage.
Impact on Malnutrition and Food Security
Alarmingly, 23.4 crore people in the country are victims of malnutrition. According to another report ‘ The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2023 ‘ released by the United Nations , a nutritious plate is nothing less than a luxury for 74.1 percent of Indians. It means in the country More than 100 crore people do not get nutritious food. However , this food waste highlights a major problem.
According to the Global Hunger Index of 2023 , 16.6 percent of the country’s population is suffering from some form of malnutrition. How serious the problem of food shortage and malnutrition is in the country can be estimated from the fact that India ranks 111 out of 125 countries in the World Hunger Index . Which clearly shows that everyone in the country is still not getting enough nutrition.
Impact on Children and Global Perspective
Talking about children, the problem of malnutrition in the country is more serious. According to statistics , 18.7 percent of children in the country are victims of wasting. This means that these children lose weight according to their height. When compared to global figures , India ranks first , where the situation is worse than Yemen (14.4 percent) and Sudan (13.7 percent).
The United Nations Children’s Fund ( UNICEF), the World Health Organization ( WHO) and the World Bank According to the Level and Trends in Child Malnutrition 2023 report released by the Ministry of Health , 31.7 percent of children under 5 years of age in the country are victims of stunting. This means that these children have a stunted height proportional to their age. According to statistics , every fourth child affected by stunting in the world is an Indian. This means that 24.6 percent of stunting children in India are children under the age of five. In such a situation, wasting food in the country is no less than a crime.
Global Comparison and Solutions
Looking at the global data released in the United Nations Food Waste Index Report 2024 , 19.1% of the total food production is Percent annual food wastage , which is around 1052 It is equal to million tons. On the other hand , 78.3 crore people in the world have to sleep on an empty stomach. According to the report , every person in the world every year approx 79 kg of food is wasted , which is 100 per day in the world Crores of food is wasted.
The report revealed a shocking fact that on one hand many African countries are facing hunger , while on the other hand there are countries like Nigeria where every person eats about 113 in a year. Wastes kilos of food. Similarly, in Egypt, each person is wasting an average of 163 kg of food. So in Tanzania this number is 152 and Rwanda has recorded 141 kg.
The Maldives tops the list in terms of per capita food waste , with 207 kg of food waste generated per person per year. Similarly , the figure is 172 in Syria and Tunisia , while 130 in Pakistan . On the other hand , the figure of food waste in Russia was recorded at 33 kg annually , while in the Philippines it was recorded at 26 kg. Similarly, 26 kg of food is wasted in Bulgaria , 19 kg in Bhutan and 18 kg in Mongolia per person per year. The report also highlighted that with the help of mutual cooperation and efforts, this food wastage can be reduced by half.
Call for Action and Policy Measures
In fact , another United Nations report has also highlighted the crisis related to malnutrition in India. Which states that 74 percent of the country’s population cannot afford a healthy diet. Wasting one-third of the food in such a situation is a moral crime. Greenhouse gas emissions associated with food production and waste are adversely affecting the environment in India, like other countries in the world.
In fact , as spoiled food decomposes in landfills, it emits methane gas , which is a driver of global warming. Global organizations have called for a complete transformation of the world’s food systems. Also , prioritization of equitable distribution should be encouraged. In such a situation, when millions of people in the country are struggling for food, wasting food is a crime from an ethical point of view.
A comprehensive policy at the national level is needed to overcome this crisis. For which efforts should be made to implement awareness campaigns , change policy measures and implement community-driven initiatives through integrated efforts. There is also a need to make rules to reduce waste through government intervention. Long-term efforts at the community level have to be promoted to prevent food wastage. Create a system in which better coordination between government agencies , NGOs and private industry can be created to create an efficient system for redistribution of leftover food.
About the Author
Vikas Parasram Meshram is a social worker and activities working towards the rights of tribal and marginalized communities.
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