Context:
The Food Waste Index Report 2024, a collaborative effort between the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UK-based non-profit organization WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme), highlights the critical need for enhancing and fortifying data infrastructure. The report emphasizes the importance of robust tracking and monitoring systems to effectively address and reduce food waste on a global scale.
Relevance:
GS III: Food Security
Dimensions of the Article:
- Key Highlights of the Food Waste Index Report
- Key Recommendations of the Food Waste Index Report 2024
Key Highlights of the Food Waste Index Report
Objective of the Report:
- The report tracks country-level progress towards halving food waste by 2030, aligning with SDG 12.3 which targets sustainable consumption and production patterns.
Scale of Food Waste in 2022:
- Globally, 1.05 billion tonnes of food were wasted in 2022.
- This constitutes 19% of the food available to consumers at the retail, food service, and household levels.
- An additional 13% of food is lost in the supply chain, from post-harvest up to but excluding retail, as estimated by FAO.
Environmental and Social Impact:
- Food loss and waste account for 8-10% of Global Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, nearly five times the emissions from the aviation sector.
- This occurs while one-third of the global population faces food insecurity.
Data Trends and Disparities:
- Since the 2021 report, data coverage has expanded, leading to reduced disparities in average per capita household food waste.
- Across different income groups (high-income, upper-middle income, lower-middle income countries), household food waste levels differ by merely 7 kg per capita annually.
Factors Influencing Food Waste:
- Countries with hotter climates tend to have higher household food waste, possibly due to increased consumption of fresh foods with inedible parts and insufficient cold chain infrastructure.
- Extreme heat events, higher temperatures, and droughts complicate food storage, transportation, and sales, leading to increased wastage.
Urban vs. Rural Trends:
- Middle-income countries show differences in food waste between urban and rural areas, with rural areas generally wasting less.
- Possible reasons include better diversion of food scraps in rural settings for purposes like pet food, animal feed, and home composting.
Tracking Progress towards SDG 12.3:
- Many low- and middle-income countries lack systems to monitor progress towards halving food waste by 2030, especially in retail and food services.
- Currently, only four G-20 countries (Australia, Japan, UK, US) along with the European Union possess suitable food waste estimates for tracking progress.
Data Gaps in Key Countries:
- Countries such as India, Indonesia, and South Korea have only subnational estimates for food waste, emphasizing the need for comprehensive national data.
- The report underscores the importance of inclusive studies to gain a clearer understanding of the global food waste scenario.
Key Recommendations of the Food Waste Index Report 2024
Leadership and Cooperation:
- G20 countries should lead in international cooperation and policy development to achieve SDG 12.3.
- They should leverage their influence on global consumer trends to enhance awareness and education about food waste both domestically and globally.
Public Private Partnerships (PPPs):
- Foster the adoption of PPPs to mitigate food waste and its environmental impacts, including climate change and water stress.
- Governments, regional bodies, and industry groups should collaborate using a Target-Measure-Act approach to achieve shared objectives.
Standardized Measurement with Food Waste Index:
- Countries should employ the Food Waste Index as a consistent tool to measure food waste.
- Develop robust national baselines and continuously track progress towards achieving SDG 12.3.
- Address the current data gaps, particularly in the retail and food service sectors.
National Food Waste Studies:
- Prioritize conducting representative national food waste studies in key countries like India, China, South Africa, Indonesia, and Mexico.
- Address data discrepancies to effectively address food waste at both individual and systemic levels.
Collaborative Efforts:
- Encourage governments, cities, food businesses, and researchers to unite in reducing food waste.
- Stress the importance of precise measurement, innovative solutions, and collective action to halve global food waste by 2030 in line with SDG 12.3.
-Source: The Hindu
