This is not the first time that an article on food wastage is being posted on Tunza platform. But even if 2 people wake up and improve their food consumption habits on reading such article , it is worth posting it.

Consider these stark facts everytime you waste food: The cost to the annual global economy from wastage of food is roughly $750 billion (Dh2.75 trillion) 1.3billion tonnes of food are wasted every year 870 million people go hungry everyday.

The wheel needs to turn, not slowly, but fast, in order to address the calamity that the human race may bring upon itself if food continues to be wasted everyday. By 2075, global population may touch 9.5 billion. This means there will be approximately a further three billion people who will consume food. The prediction is staggering. The fallout from such numbers means fresh social, economic, environmental and political issues. Governments will be elected and they will fall because of food. The world needs to find out ways to produce more food through resources that will be available. Currently, four billion tonnes of food is produced per annum. Almost half of it goes to waste — thanks to lack of due diligence in harvesting, storage and transportation. This, over and above the phenomenon of market and consumer wastage. The problem fails to highlight the loss in peripheral factors like land, energy, fertilisers and water. This is a knock-on effect of mammoth proportions.

To prevent wastage, there needs to be a union of stakeholders in areas of production, distribution and storage. Consumer expectations need to be monitored and, if necessary, changed. Governments of rapidly developing countries, like China for example, must effectively introduce waste minimisation practices. At an individual level, families should buy only as much food as they need instead of excessive purchases that can lead to wastage. Images of thousands of tonnes of food grain going to waste in India, where millions go hungry everyday, or lack the access to three square meals a day, only serve as negative endorsements of government policies and unsavoury practices.

The onus is largely on governments to show their people the value of food and the gains that can be made through judicious and effective consumption.

Food that arrives at our homes probably travels thousands of miles before reaching there. Let us not cast it away.

 Source :Gulf News 13^th Sep