In a world where millions go hungry, it is disgraceful that we trash out food indiscriminately. Although many of us do not consider it a big deal, the fact is that we do it when more than 783 million people go to bed on an empty stomach each night!
More importantly, over the past few decades, our society has become more wasteful as a result of rise in income, living standards, consumerism, and affordability. From overbuying to throwing away leftovers, every one of us contributes in some way to this larger issue.
The trend deepens typically during festivals. For example, during Ramadhan, we find that people tend to buy more than their normal requirements. Due to the limited consumption of food during the fasting month, any additional quantity of food, whether raw or cooked, becomes waste.
It's an irony that though festivals like Ramadhan is the time to show compassion and empathy with fellow beings, they often end up with wasted food that could have helped those who are hungry. We often forget to keep track of how much food we buy, cook and consume during this period!
So it's essential that, during celebrations, we think of food waste and its impact on society and the economy. Moreover, it is environmentally and morally offensive that, as a society, we have become so casual about the basic raw materials of life.
According to a UN Environment Programme (UNEP) report, food waste increases by 25 per cent to 50 per cent in the Middle East region during religious festivals, when around 34 per cent of the food served is wasted, with an estimation ranging from 100 to 150 kg/cap of food waste occurring at the household stage.
At the same time, the UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2024 bemoans that, on average, each person wastes 79 kilograms of food annually. This is the equivalent of 1.3 meals every day for everyone in the world.
Supermarkets, restaurants, and cafes make the situation worse due to excessive waste. Setting up lavish food tables during festivals, weddings, parties, or informal get-togethers has become normal in some countries in the region.
It is not that wasting food is limited to what consumers scrape off their plates or leave to rot in their refrigerators; it is driven by a whole host of factors, including crops left in the field, food that spoils in transportation, and all other food that doesn’t make it to a store.
However, the latest report finds that the majority of the world’s food waste comes from households, totalling 631 million metric tonnes, or 60 per cent of the total food wasted.
Surprisingly, food waste is a pervasive problem all around the world with no limit to affluent nations. Despite differences in income levels, there is minimal variation in average levels of household food waste between high-income, upper-middle-income, and lower-middle-income countries.
However, a notable divergence arises between urban and rural populations, with rural areas generally wasting less, possibly due to practices such as food scrap recycling for animal feed and composting.
Look at the environmental repercussions as well. When we throw away edible food, it ends up in landfills, where it decomposes and produces greenhouse gases, contributing to climate change.
While we celebrate the festivals, we should not forget that millions do not have enough to eat and live with empty stomachs, also reminding us of the unequal distribution of wealth and resources within communities.
As we move forward, let the spirit of our festivals shine not just in the grand feasts but in embracing love, compassion, unity, and sustainability during these occasions.
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