Tackling food losses

The world is sharply divided between the haves and have-nots. While a section of the global population enjoys food delicacies from all over the world, many people, including children, sleep on an empty stomach. A new joint report by the UN and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) highlights that these economic inequalities have their roots in infrastructural issues that result in food losses due to transportation. The report suggests that halving food waste could cut climate-warming emissions and end undernourishment for 153 million people globally. And that “by 2033, the number of calories lost and wasted between produce leaving farms and reaching shops and households could be more than twice the number of calories currently consumed in low-income countries in a year.” According to research published last year, around one billion tonnes of food gets wasted, which means 24 per cent of the world’s food supply goes uneaten. This is happening in a world where one in 10 people remains malnourished. Not only does food waste lead to malnourishment among people, but it also leads to climate change – resulting in 8-10 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Although UN nations have pledged to cut food waste by 50 per cent by 2030, there has been no mention of cutting down food losses along the supply chain. Structural issues like poor planning, lack of proper equipment to transport food in temperature-controlled containers, lack of food-handling skills, etc. Since this issue is universal, it is important for all countries to come together and devise a plan to minimize food waste. In this digital age where AI is emerging as a tool for advancement and progress, countries can embed AI technologies in the supply chain to make food transportation easier. AI systems that can predict future demand; calculate the time required for containers to reach specific destinations; and determine whether stores have adequate storage facilities. Doing so can help minimize food losses, allowing food retailers to sell such items at affordable prices and making food accessible for a majority of people.

It is also worth noting that some countries deliberately halt food supplies as a weapon of war. While this may help them reach their short-term goals of an increased number of deaths, it also results in irrecoverable food losses, affecting not only humans but also the environment. All countries have to come forward to fight against food insecurity. And to do that, food losses have to be minimized at all levels.