Context:
India wastes food worth nearly ₹1.55 lakh crore annually despite widespread hunger and malnutrition. The issue reflects inefficiencies in storage, supply chains, and consumption patterns, making food waste a serious economic, environmental, and governance challenge.
- International Day of Zero Waste is observed on March 30 to promote sustainable consumption and waste reduction globally.
- Food Waste Index Report (2024) released by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) estimates global food waste at about 1.05 billion tonnes annually, with households contributing ~60%, food services ~28%, and retail ~12%.
- India ranks 2nd globally in food waste, generating around 78–80 million tonnes annually, with per capita waste about 55 kg per year. China is currently the top country in food waste.
- Despite surplus production, India faces significant hunger, with around 194 million undernourished people and poor ranking in the Global Hunger Index.
- Post-harvest losses occur due to lack of cold storage, inefficient logistics, poor grading, and inadequate packaging systems.
- India processes only about 8% of its food compared to around 65% in the USA, indicating weak value addition infrastructure.
- Food waste contributes about 8–10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, mainly through methane release from landfills.
- Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) promote initiatives like “Save Food, Share Food” to reduce wastage and encourage redistribution.
- India lacks a comprehensive legal framework to mandate food donation or penalize food waste, unlike some European countries.
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Food Waste India: Economic and Environmental Costs