he Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations considers any decrease in quantity or quality of food along the food value chain as food loss and waste. Food loss occurs at crop harvest, animal slaughtering/ milking and fish catch levels, but excludes retail and consumer level losses. Food waste, on the other hand, refers to the losses at retail or in the consumer space. There are avoidable and unavoidable food losses. Many a times, the avoidable/ preventable losses are more than the potential for yield gains.

Pakistan is among the top 10 countries in the world in the production of essential food items. However, it also ranks 102 out of 125 countries in Global Food Security Index. Its environmental footprint per unit of farm produce also remains high. Pakistan’s methane and nitrous oxide emissions per unit of agriculture produce are alarming. The irrecoverable farm inputs are an added cost of production.

There is a lack of systematic effort for estimation of losses. Poor harvest equipment (wheat and rice), insufficient packing and storage, inappropriate transportation, limited processing and weak marketing are some of the causes of these losses. These can reach as high as 30 percent for cereals, 40–50 percent for fruits and vegetables, 20 percent for oil seeds and meat, and 35 percent for fish, meat and dairy products. Lack of refrigeration and cold chains, and injuries enhance the losses of fruits. Post-harvest grain losses are mainly driven by the moisture contents (insufficient drying), storage pests and molds. Indeterminate crop varieties requiring multiple picks are more prone to losses.

The dairy sector in Pakistan is highly vulnerable with about 20-30 percent of milk wasted. Sale of loose milk causes losses in quality and quantity by allowing malpractices failing to prevent contamination.

Food waste at consumption stage is categorised into preparation losses, cooking losses and waste after cooking. The food preparation waste can be unintentional due to excessive removal of edible parts. That could be a consumer perception about edible and inedible parts; convenience in food preparation; or a lack of skill and knowledge. The leftover food after every meal at home and in the service institutions, restaurants and catering services often gets wasted.

Pakistan produces 36 million tonnes of food waste. There is a need for raising public awareness about food waste and formulating effective policies. The solutions to food waste can create positive social, economic and environmental impacts. Distributing surplus food to the disadvantaged is a viable option. Domestic food waste no longer suitable for human consumption can be used as raw materials for synthesis of biofuels and bioplastics.

The enactment of the Disposal of Excess Food Regulation 2019 by the Punjab Food Authority deserves to be examined. Food business operators, and all involved in sale, transport, storage, distribution or trade of food are required to donate excess food. Such donations are subsequently distributed amongst the underprivileged.

Post-harvest food waste and losses also add to food safety issues. Be those contamination or adulteration, the response has been weak. There is insufficient regulation of hygiene practices. Adulteration in dairy products, edible oils and spices is a health risk. Food authorities are often unable to ensure food safety at the consumer level.

The University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, assisted the Punjab government in the enactment of Food Authority Act 2011. The National Institute of Food Science and Technology at the UAF is a permanent board member and a scientific panel of the Punjab Food Authority. We share our expertise and current research to regulate the work of the authority. We also work as a reference laboratory. We started a diploma programme in collaboration with UNIDO titled Food Safety and Controls with the objective of promoting food safety in the country. This diploma programme was later upgraded to a degree programme in food safety and quality management. We have collaborations with several international organisations like the CABI, the GAIN, the UNIDO and the WFP. Pak Korea Nutrition Centre has been established to promote mother and child health with a better/ safe nutrition. We are aiming to train 12,000 school teachers and lady health workers in food and nutrition. We assist the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority, a federal level organisation, to devise food quality standards.

Following interventions could reduce food loss and waste:

Infrastructure: Drying of grains and cold storage for perishable commodities in farm vicinity/ rural areas and producing specific transportation to the market and retail.

Knowledge and capacity: There is a vast scope for training local households to produce cheese for the prevention of milk wastage while creating SMEs. Farmers, too, need training in food safety, global good practices for harvesting, handling and storing crops and milk.

Market access: Farmers, particularly small landholders, have limited opportunities to sell small surpluses. Investment in market infrastructure and use of technology for the benefit of buyer and seller should be a public priority. Farmers also need training in preparation for markets with changing consumer behaviour and competitions.

Fruit and vegetable processing: SMEs are missing in this sector. Training farmers about appropriate post-harvest handling practices such as timely harvesting, sorting and storing can generate dividends.

Climate change: Flooding, rainfall patterns, drought and temperature shocks result in quality and quantity losses. Prevention of post-harvest losses and emergency measures should be part of climate adaptation strategies.

Agronomic: Longer shelf life can be a criterion for the development of crop varieties; better mechanical harvesting equipment and planting geometry make a difference. GM crops with a longer shelf life and better food quality are in the pipeline.

Precision and data applications: Available technological innovations like mobile apps to connect farmers and markets/ consumers. Using data analytics, local and international demand-supply forecasting can help optimise production and reduce losses due to over production/ glut and provide timely information for demand-supply analysis for timely decision. Food banks and connecting local markets/ producers with consumers through mobile apps is an opportunity to reduce food waste.

Policy barriers: Lack of policy support to promote investment (storage, processing) in reducing post-harvest losses should be publicly debated. Market intelligence and removal of distortion for efficient price and food supply signals

Commodity clusters: There are established and potential/ new commodity clusters that can be focused as a first step to reduce waste of perishable high value commodities. Promoting marketing cooperatives through village level empowerment is another untapped opportunity.

The writer is the vice chancellor of the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad