Date: 24/04/2023

Relevance:  GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation

Relevance:  GS-3: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

Key Phrases: World Earth Day, Invest in Our Planet, climate change, ecological problems, Food Loss and Waste, PM Kisan SAMPADA Yojana, Eat Right India,

Context:

• Every year on April 22, people all over the world observe World Earth Day to promote awareness and act towards protecting our planet.

Key Highlights:

• In 2023, the theme of World Earth Day is ‘Invest in Our Planet’.
• It is emphasizing the need for urgent action to address the environmental challenges that we face today.
• There is a growing need to devote our efforts, finances, and time for addressing climate change and other ecological problems.
• Food loss and waste have been a major problem for both the developed and the developing world and the mammoth task of mitigating such losses and waste has been on the agenda of nations across the globe.

State of Food Waste:

• Approximately 17 percent of the food generated globally from food service, households, and retail sectors — equivalent to almost one billion tonnes — is discarded annually.
• According to the Food Waste Index Report 2021 by the United Nations Environment Programme, between harvest and retail, around 14 percent of the world’s total food supply is lost.
• With a projected 68.8 million tonnes of food wasted each year, India accounts for 7 percent of global food waste.
• The Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution Ministry reports that on average, an Indian household wastes around 50 kg of food per year, which is substantially lower than in many developed countries.
• Despite this, one out of every four malnourished individuals across the globe is from India.

Reasons Behind Food Loss:

• Poor harvesting techniques:
  • Poor harvesting techniques, such as harvesting too early or too late, can lead to significant food losses.
• Lack of storage facilities:
  • Inadequate storage facilities can cause food to spoil or be damaged by pests.
• Transportation and logistics:
  • Poor transportation and logistics infrastructure can lead to delays in delivering food to markets, causing spoilage and waste.
• Overproduction and excess inventory:
  • Overproduction of food, and maintaining excessive inventory to meet market demands, can lead to waste and losses when demand is not met.
• Food safety regulations and standards:
  • Food safety regulations and standards can lead to rejection of food products that do not meet the required standards, leading to waste.
• Consumer behavior:
  • Consumer behavior, such as over-purchasing, over-preparing, or throwing away food that is still edible, can also contribute to food waste.
• Lack of infrastructure and resources:
  • In some areas, there may be a lack of infrastructure and resources for food preservation and distribution, leading to losses and waste..

Consequences of Food Loss:

• Food loss and waste have significant economic, social, and environmental impacts and give rise to food insecurity, raise food prices, and waste valuable resources like land, water, and energy.
• Food waste generates methane gas, which is a powerful greenhouse gas responsible for causing climate change.

Government Initiative:

• Given the circumstances, the government has launched a number of measures in response to the global demand of reducing food loss and waste.
• The PM Kisan SAMPADA Yojana :
  • It launched in 2016.
  • It was aimed at developing modern infrastructure with an effective supply chain network that spans from the farm to the retail store.
  • This initiative is expected to benefit the food processing industry, increase farmers’ incomes, reduce agricultural waste, improve processing capabilities, and boost exports of processed food products.
• Eat Right India :
  • The Eat Right India initiative 2018 was launched by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the central government to overhaul the food system.
  • Its objective was to ensure that all residents have access to safe, wholesome, and sustainable food.
• Role of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries :
  • The Ministry of Food Processing Industries is entrusted with developing post-harvest infrastructure and processing facilities to support the sector’s overall development, including reducing post-harvest losses and increasing value addition,
  • The Ministry uses numerous studies built on primary surveys to estimate post-harvest losses in a variety of agricultural commodities.
  • A recent study by NABCONS 2022 under the supervision of the Ministry highlighted that fruits crops experience the highest percentage losses (6.02-15.05 per cent) followed by vegetables (4.87-11.61 per cent) and fisheries (Marine) (8.76 per cent).

Way Forward:

• Some potential actions or initiatives that can be taken include educating and raising awareness about food loss and waste among the citizens.
  • Additionally, it is important to invest in the required infrastructure and technology especially at the critical areas of the food supply chain where such losses are higher.
• Moreover, it is high time that we promote not only sustainable consumption but also constantly and rigorously endeavor to implement measures and steps to reduce food waste.
• There is a need to support the food recovery and redistribution initiatives so as to minimize food loss and waste and reduce carbon footprints for our planet earth.

Conclusion:

• Curtailing food loss and waste can help address food insecurity in underprivileged communities and mitigate climate change, as such losses and wastes contribute 8-10 percent of world’s greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to severe weather events and climate change.
  • Hence, decreasing food waste and loss is critical for accomplishing sustainable development goals and minimizing the consequences of climate change.
• World Earth Day 2023 provides a chance for people, corporations, and governments to act towards decreasing food loss and waste.
  • Such acts can improve food security, reduce economic losses, and protect our planet’s resources.

Source: The Hindu BL

Mains Question:

Q. Examine the social, economical and environmental impact of food wastage, and evaluate the effectiveness of current initiatives aimed at reducing food waste. (250 Words).