A report commissioned by the FAO (United Nations Organization for Food and Agriculture) at the Institute of Food and Biotechnology SIK (Sweden) has shown that about 1,300 tonnes of food thrown away, which is comparable to all food produced in sub-Saharan Africa.
To make the report has looked at two studies, one on food losses worldwide by rich countries and another similar but with reference to the poorest countries. The studies identified as food losses occur along the entire food chain and also provides possible solutions to avoid the throw so much food.
1,300 million metric tons of food is a much too high to ignore, and not only highlights this waste, we must also highlight the resources and efforts being made to produce them in vain. The loss of food occurs in the moment you start agricultural production, ending a steady trickle in the last link in the chain and is also involved in food waste, consumers. In both cases, whether rich or poor, although obviously there are losses are much larger and more important in industrialized countries. To this must be added that in regard to final consumers, are those of the industrialized countries, most food waste.
Data revealing the report, the food waste in Europe or the United States is around 95-115 kilos per year per inhabitant, while in sub-Saharan Africa and South and Southeast Asia, the waste is only 6'11 kilos per year. In the case of poor countries or developing the causes of the losses are related to the technical, management incorrect food storage techniques and cooling system for the collection, and so on. For industrialized countries, the main losses are related to consumer behavior, buying the wrong attitude of being able to store afford to discard food when food expire (mismanagement of the pantry), the matter would interesting to take the reading of the post preferential Legend of food consumption causes confusion . The food quality standard rejecting foods that could be eaten but to not appear as the first day are discarded, and so on.
Examples could be cited as clear as the loss of food due to economic or speculative, remember that every year are thrown million kilos of bananas from the Canary Islands , earlier this year without going further, were pulling 740,000 kilos of bananas in the trash by low prices caused by market saturation. Another example is the potato crisis in 2011 , was expected to be destroyed in our country of 100 million kilos of potatoes, these examples clearly show that before developing strategies to increase food production, work is needed on the use and minimal waste of these.
The food waste in industrialized countries can be significantly reduced through awareness campaigns for consumers, intermediaries and producers. As we all know, we talk about the need to increase food production to meet demand in coming years, remember the post How to Feed the World in 2050 , however, the priority is parallel to promote responsible drinking and prevent food discarded by thousand and one reasons, to increase efficiency throughout the food chain is a priority and know that natural resources are increasingly scarce, energy, water, fields, etc. The report Global food waste and food Losses emphasis should be a priority to reduce food waste.
Reducing food losses is one way to fight hunger and improve the economy in all links of the food chain, then talk of aid to poorer countries who can not feed, simply good management, we would obtain a surplus for it. Clearly, throwing 1,300 million metric tons annually of food has an important impact on food security, economic development, respect for the environment, energy resources management, etc. Food losses fluctuate depending on the situation in each country, but the common denominator is that all must be kept below the minimum the losses for the good of all and the good of the planet in general, as we said throwing food is wasted resources, land, water, energy and inputs, we add the economic losses and pollutant emissions are made unnecessary.
Experts in their report raises a question: How much food is lost in the world in total and how to prevent this loss? Now are questions that can not get a concrete answer, much remains to be investigated, but the data we made available prior to and on part of the world, we can get an idea, the waste is brutal.
Sean fresh foods like fruits and vegetables, or canned food is wasted food amounts equivalent to more than half of the world harvest of grain is not only unfortunate, it's a real shame and knowing the needs that are passed on many countries. We recommend you read the report Global Losses food and food waste, which announces that 1,300 tonnes of food thrown away, but in reality is much more in him we can know specifically the type of losses, differentiation between food waste and food losses of all kinds, including animals which die in livestock production for several reasons. Losses posed by food exports, as well as a comparative graphs segmenting types of foods and countries, we find that Europe, for example, is the biggest fruit and vegetable wastes and throw them away.
The truth is deeply saddened to know this kind of data, and there is clearly, then we are talking about introducing foods genetically modified food to ensure safety and results we produce so much food, but we do not manage it. The report has been compiled and analyzed a large amount of data related to food waste in each link of the chain, from source to final consumer, in view of the results, it is necessary to reconsider a policy change and implementation of measures to reduce the volume of food being thrown away. As mentioned, not only should think about increasing food production, we also need an appropriate management plan.
