By George George Idowu
United Nations has reported that over one billion meals are being squandered daily while 783 million people suffer from hunger across the whole continent in 2022.
This revelation emerged from the ‘UN Food Waste Index Report 2024’, unveiled by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) on Wednesday, ahead of the International Day of Zero Waste.
Citing the pervasive impact of food waste on the economy, climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, the report, co-authored with WRAP, emphasized the urgent need for concerted action to mitigate this multifaceted crisis.
Offering insights into the scope of food waste at retail and consumer levels, the report underscored the imperative for enhanced data collection and adoption of effective strategies to curtail wastage.
In 2022, the study unveiled a staggering 1.05 billion tonnes of food waste, equivalent to 132 kilograms per capita, representing nearly one-fifth of all food accessible to consumers, with households accounting for 60% of the total wastage, followed by food services at 28% and retail at 12%.
Expressing concern over the profound implications of food waste, Inger Andersen, UNEP’s executive director, urged global prioritization of this issue to alleviate hunger, mitigate environmental degradation, and realize sustainable development objectives.
Despite progress in bolstering data infrastructure since 2021, many low—and middle-income countries still grapple with inadequate systems for monitoring progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 of halving food waste by 2030, particularly in retail and food services.
Harriet Lamb, CEO of WRAP, echoed the call for concerted international action to address the profound environmental, societal, and economic toll of food waste, emphasizing the pivotal role of public-private partnerships and urging support from diverse stakeholders to catalyze tangible outcomes in combating this global challenge.