When you think about food wastage, especially in regards to a countrywide scale, then you’d probably think that one particular country would be topping the list. However, in an interesting reveal, it is India that ranks second in the amount of food it wastes in a year.
It is important to realise that food waste is beyond just a person choosing to throw away some leftovers on their plate that they are unable to finish.
There is actually a big economic and even environmental impact that it can have. Countries around the world lose millions and billions of dollars due to food wastage. As this food fills landfills, it releases methane gas, consuming important resources such as water and energy to be processed and disposed of properly.
As per a report by The Indian Express, “the food system produced nearly 18 billion metric tons of emissions in 2015.”
A 2018 study by Joseph Poore and Thomas Nemecek also estimated that almost all “food wastage is responsible for around 6% of total global greenhouse gas emissions.”
What Is The Report?
According to reports, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)’s Food Waste Report 2024 provides a clearer picture of the global food waste situation. The UNEP’s 2024 report states that over $1 trillion in food is wasted each year, coinciding with 783 million people experiencing hunger and a third of the world’s population facing food insecurity.
The waste is said to come from three sources that include retail shops, restaurants and food services, and households. The report further found that in 2022, around 132 kg of food was wasted by each person around the world.
The report also looked at the top 10 countries that produce the most food waste, with China and India topping the list. This is reportedly due to their large population and the food that is wasted during transport and from the service industry.
The difference is there when one looks at the food wasted per capita or per person, where India ranks lower compared to countries like the US, Brazil, Germany, and China.
Here we take a look at the 10 top countries that waste the most food:
Read More: ResearchED: Why Does India Have Third-Highest Percentage Of ‘Zero-Food Children’
India is home to over 145 crore people, and while it has made tremendous progress in certain economic sectors, poverty remains a significant issue. The 2024 Global Hunger Index (GHI) ranked India 105 out of 127 countries. Despite India being one of the largest food producers globally, millions of people continue to suffer from a lack of food.
This results in stunted growth, undernourishment, and preventable diseases being spread among the population.
There is another side to consider, that of religion, where various religions across the country actively discourage food wastage, and yet, there is such a large scale of food waste that the country witnesses.
One of the biggest reasons for this wastage, though, is the inefficiency in the agricultural supply chain. Poor transportation, storage, and cold chain facilities all lead to spoilage of perishable items such as fruits, vegetables, dairy, and meat.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), almost 40% of India’s perishable produce is wasted due to insufficient cold storage facilities and improper handling during transport.
Image Credits: Google Images
Sources: The Indian Express, The Economic Times, The Hindu
Find the blogger: @chirali_08
This post is tagged under: India, India food waste, food waste, food waste country, most food wasting country, most food wasting countries, india us food waste, india poverty, india poverty food waste, india food crisis, UNEP Food Waste Report 2024, UNEP, United Nations Environment Programme
Disclaimer: We do not hold any rights or copyright over any of the images used; these have been taken from Google. In case of credits or removal, the owner may kindly email us.
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