A shameful 50 kg of food is wasted per person per year in Indian homes, says a UN report
It is unbelievable and shocking at the same time: Average households waste 50 kg of food per person per year in India, where “Annapoorna” is considered the Hindu goddess of food and nourishment. Globally, according to the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Food Waste Index Report 2021, homes, institutions, retail outlets and restaurants wasted almost 931 million metric tonnes, or 17 per cent, of the food available for consumption in 2019. Besides, a significant quantity of food is lost on farms and in supply chains, indicating that overall a third of the food produced actually never gets eaten. But the maximum wastage is done at homes. Nearly 61 per cent of consumer-level food goes into waste bins each year at home, the report states. Although food waste is normally thought of as a problem mostly affecting rich countries, the report found that the levels of waste were surprisingly similar across nations, though it was somewhat handicapped in burrowing out more details due to the lack of data in poor countries. In South Asia, besides the 50 kg per person food wastage in India, 65 kg is wasted in Bangladesh, 74 kg in Pakistan, 76 kg in Sri Lanka, 79 kg in Nepal and 82 kg in Afghanistan.
Especially in the context of India, the revelation is excruciating because food waste has serious social, environmental and economic impacts. As per the UN, 690 million people were impacted by hunger in 2019 and three billion couldn’t afford a healthy diet. Closer home, just recall the plight of lakhs of migrant workers last year following the sudden announcement of the lockdown. Confused, angry and helpless, they then started the long trudge back home, with impoverished and famished families in tow. They had to be content with the barest minimum that came their way, which on most days comprised just a pack of biscuits and a couple of bananas. As per the Government’s estimates, more than 1.06 crore migrant workers started for their homes; for at least 29,415, it was their last journey. Just imagine if they could get to eat what we throw away every day! Then, wasted food, upon reaching landfills, leads to major greenhouse gas emissions. So, next time, think twice before leaving behind that morsel on the plate after your hearty meal. Think about all the people who are forced to go hungry every night, and think about the damage your seemingly innocuous act is causing to the environment.