NEW DELHI : A new United Nations Food Waste Index Report estimates that Indian households waste 78.2 million tonnes of food every year despite India housing the world’s largest hunger-population.
The report published by UN Environment Programme, ahead of the International Day of Zero Waste, points out India’s per capita food waste at 55 kg per year. It also underlines rural India waste food less compared to urban areas.
In South Asia, Bhutan (19kg/year) has the lowest per capita food waste in the country while Pakistan has the highest (130kg/year). Food wastage became a serious issue in India as India housed 233.9 million out of world’s 783 million populations as per Global Hunger Index 2023 report.
India ranked 111 out of 125 countries, indicating a hunger severity level of “serious” for the country.
The report says the study of food wastage took place in different pockets of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Uttarakhand and Jharkhand in different periods of time by different researchers. Kerala and Karnataka studies were conducted by UN-Habitats.
However, the report categorised India’s food wastage data under ‘Medium Confidence’ which means data was of limited geographic coverage and inadequate sample size and difficult to track. Only four G20 countries (Australia, Japan, UK, the US) and the European Union have food waste estimates suitable for tracking progress to 2030. Canada and Saudi Arabia have suitable household estimates, with Brazil’s estimate expected late 2024. Globally, in 2022 there were 1.05 billion tonnes of food waste generated (including inedible parts), amounting to 132 kg per capita and almost one-fifth of food available to consumers.
Out of the total food wasted in 2022, 60% happened at the household level, with food services responsible for 28 per cent and retail 12 per cent.
The report states households across all continents wasted over 1 billion meals a day in 2022, while 783 million people were affected by hunger and a third of humanity faced food insecurity. The toll of both food loss and waste on the global economy is estimated at roughly $ 1 trillion.
“Food waste is a global tragedy. Millions will go hungry today as food is wasted across the world,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP.
“Not only is this a major development issue, but the impacts of such unnecessary waste are causing substantial costs to the climate and nature,” Andersen said further.
The reports underline that food wastage is not a ‘rich’ country problem but upper-middle and lower-middle-income countries too. There is not much difference in the amount of wastage.
At the same time, hotter countries appear to generate more food waste per capita in households, potentially due to higher consumption of fresh foods with substantial inedible parts and a lack of robust cold chains.
Get serious about food waste
Indian household wastage
78.2 - million tonnes every year
233.9 million - of world’s 783 million population (Global Hunger Index 2023)
Ranked 111 - In 125 countries, indicating a hunger severity level
Global food wastage (2022) - 1.05 billion tonnes
Greenhouse emissions
Hotter countries appear to generate more food waste as they lack cold chain facilities
Food loss & waste cause 8-10% of annual global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
$1 trillion - Is the toll of food loss, waste