Cutting global food waste in half could not only curb climate-warming emissions but also alleviate hunger for approximately 153 million people worldwide, according to a joint report by the OECD and the UN’s food agency released on Tuesday.
The report highlights that about one-third of all food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted globally, as reported by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). This wastage contributes to unnecessary emissions and reduces the available food supply for those in need.
By the year 2033, the calories lost and wasted between production and consumption could exceed twice the amount currently consumed annually in low-income countries, the report cautioned.
Reducing food loss and waste by 50% along the entire supply chain “has the potential to decrease global agricultural greenhouse gas emissions by four percent and reduce the number of undernourished people by 153 million by 2030,” the report stated.
Achieving this goal, however, requires substantial changes from both consumers and producers, the report emphasized.
Agriculture, forestry, and other land uses currently account for approximately one-fifth of global human-induced greenhouse gas emissions.
In a separate initiative, teens have developed the award-winning Mazah app aimed at helping individuals reduce food waste.
While UN member nations have committed to halving per capita food waste by 2030 as part of sustainable development goals, there is currently no global target for reducing food loss along the production supply chain.
Between 2021 and 2023, fruits and vegetables accounted for more than half of the total food lost and wasted due to their perishable nature and short shelf life, the report noted. Cereals followed, making up over a quarter of the losses.
The FAO predicts that approximately 600 million people will face hunger by 2030.
“Measures to reduce food loss and waste could significantly boost global food availability and lower prices, ensuring greater access to food for low-income populations,” the report highlighted.
Cutting food loss and waste by 50% by 2030 could potentially increase food intake by 10% in low-income countries, six percent in lower-middle-income nations, and four percent in upper-middle-income countries, the report concluded.
Related Topics:
