What is wasteage of food?

Food wastage refers to the discarding of food that is still edible. It occurs at various stages of the food supply chain, from production to consumption. Key factors contributing to food wastage include:

Overproduction: Farmers may produce more crops than can be consumed or stored, leading to wastage.

Poor Storage and Transportation: Inadequate storage facilities and transportation practices can cause food to spoil or deteriorate, resulting in wastage.

Consumer Behavior: Consumers often purchase more food than they can consume, leading to spoilage and wastage. Lack of proper storage and meal planning also contributes to food wastage at the household level.

Processing and Packaging: Food processing and packaging can generate by-products and waste that may not be fully utilized, leading to wastage.

Retail Practices: Retailers may discard food that does not meet certain cosmetic standards or is close to its expiration date, even though it is still edible.

Food wastage has significant environmental, economic, and social impacts. It contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, water wastage, and land degradation. Wasting food also means wasting the resources that went into producing, processing, and transporting it. Furthermore, food wastage exacerbates global hunger and food insecurity.

Efforts to reduce food wastage involve improving production and storage practices, promoting sustainable consumption, and enhancing recycling and composting initiatives. Collaboration among governments, businesses, and individuals is crucial to tackling this issue and building a more efficient and sustainable food system.