UN report suggests that nearly one-fifth of the world’s food is wasted

A United Nations report published in 2022 revealed that the world wasted an estimated 19 per cent of the food produced globally that year, totaling about 1.05 billion metric tonnes. The report, called the UN Environment Programme’s Food Waste Index Report, aims to track countries’ progress in halving food waste by 2030. The number of countries reporting for the index nearly doubled from the 2021 report, which estimated that 17 per cent of food produced globally in 2019 was wasted. The report is co-authored by UNEP and WRAP, an international charity, and analyzed data from households, food service, and retailers.

Researchers found that each person wastes about 79 kilograms of food annually, equivalent to at least 1 billion meals wasted worldwide daily. The majority of the waste, 60 per cent, came from households, while 28 per cent came from food service and 12 per cent from retailers. The environmental toll of food waste is significant, contributing 8 to 10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Fadila Jumare, a Nigeria-based project associate at Busara Center for Behavioral Economics, emphasized that food waste further disadvantages those who are already food insecure and cannot afford healthy diets. Brian Roe, a food waste researcher at Ohio State University, highlighted the importance of reducing food waste to achieve resource conservation, greater food security, and environmental benefits.

The report highlighted the global concern of food waste and its impact on the environment and food security. With 783 million people facing chronic hunger worldwide, food waste exacerbates the problem and creates additional challenges for food-insecure populations. Famine is imminent in northern Gaza and approaching in Haiti, exacerbated by ongoing conflicts and crises. If food waste were a country, it would rank third in greenhouse gas emissions, underscoring the urgency of addressing this issue. Governments, regional groups, and industries are implementing public-private partnerships to reduce food waste and its environmental consequences.

The report noted progress in low- and middle-income countries in addressing food waste but emphasized the role of wealthier nations in leading international cooperation and policy development. Strategies such as food redistribution, where surplus food is donated to food banks and charities, have shown promise in reducing food waste among retailers. Organizations like Food Banking Kenya are actively involved in redistributing surplus food to vulnerable populations, positively impacting both society and the environment. The authors also highlighted the relatively small differences in per capita household food waste between high-income and lower-income countries, emphasizing that food waste is a global issue that requires collective action.

Overall, the report underscores the urgent need to tackle food waste on a global scale. It is not only a moral imperative to address the issue of food waste, but it also has significant environmental and social implications. By reducing food waste, countries can conserve resources, mitigate climate change, ensure food security, and alleviate hunger. Collaborative efforts between governments, businesses, and organizations are essential in implementing solutions to reduce food waste and create a more sustainable and equitable food system for all.