Food waste is a major global issue, ranking as the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, surpassing even the US and China.

Issue of Food Wastage

• High Emissions from Waste: Food waste contributes nearly 8–10% of global greenhouse gas emissions  about three times the aviation sector’s emissions. As food decays, it releases methane, a gas 80 times more potent than CO₂.
• Production issue: Besides waste, food production and its input processes (like fertilizers, transport, etc.) also emit climate-harming gases.
• Global Paradox: Nearly 20% of all food produced is lost or wasted, while 783 million people suffer from hunger, and 150 million children under five face stunted growth due to undernutrition.
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12.3: India has committed to SDG 12.3, aiming to halve per capita food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food loss in supply chains by 2030.
• Magnitude of Waste: Even if just 25% of binned food is edible, it means 1 billion meals are wasted daily. The UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2024 estimates that 17% of food waste happens between retail and consumption.
• Solutions: There is an opportunity to use sustainable packaging, extend shelf-life, and improve infrastructure and practices to preserve nutritional value and minimise waste.
• Limited Global Action: By 2022, only 21 countries had included food loss/waste reduction in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
• Pre-Market Food Loss: According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), 30–40% of food in developing countries is lost before reaching markets — mainly due to post-harvest gaps in storage, processing, and transport.

Steps taken by the Government to Minimise food loss in India

• Proactive Measures:  India has implemented coordinated policies across the supply chain through schemes like PM Kisan Sampada Yojana, Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for food processing.
• Infrastructure and Efficiency: These schemes aim to modernize infrastructure, adopt advanced packaging and preservation technologies, and enhance supply chain efficiency to reduce wastage.
• Linkages and Cold Chains: Programmes for backward and forward linkages boost farm-to-market networks. 
  • The Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure Scheme offers fiscal support for shelf-life extension, nutritional preservation, and quality enhancement.

Way Forward

• Processing and Packaging: Upgrading food processing capabilities is essential for food safety and shelf-life extension. Adoption of eco-friendly storage and packaging solutions is critical.
• Sustainable Innovation: Aseptic packaging using recyclable materials can help reduce the environmental footprint of processed foods.
• Meal Planning: With 17% of food wasted in India, households must adopt meal planning and follow the FIFO (First In, First Out) method for using items in the fridge to reduce waste and promote sustainable consumption.
• Public Awareness: Public-private partnerships and consumer awareness campaigns are needed to promote responsible and eco-friendly practices.

Conclusion

Combating food loss requires end-to-end engagement of producers, suppliers, and consumers within a circular economy framework, as minimizing waste leads to better food security, improved diets, reduced malnutrition, and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

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