Globally, around 14 percent of food produced is lost between harvest and retail, while an estimated 17 percent of total global food production is wasted (11 percent in households, 5 percent in the food service, and 2 percent in retail). Food losses also mean that there is wastage of precious resources like water, land, energy, labour, capital besides other inputs. In addition, the disposal of food loss and waste in landfills, leads to greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to climate change.
Food loss and waste can also negatively impact food security and food availability and contribute to increasing the cost of food. Keeping this in view ILSI India sponsored a study on “Global Initiatives to Reduce Post-Harvest Food Losses and Waste” at ICAR- Central Institute of Post-Harvest Engineering & Technology, Ludhiana (ICAR- CIPHET). This Status Paper was prepared by Dr. R.K. Vishwakarma, Principal Scientist & LC-PC, CRP on Secondary Agriculture and Dr. Nachiket Kotwaliwale, Director, ICAR-CIPHET.
The Status Paper on “Global Initiatives to Reduce Post-Harvest Food Losses and Waste” is first of its kind study in the world and shares the perspectives on the issues and actions required to stem the problem of food loss and waste. The status paper highlights various processes and protocols being employed to estimate the losses, available data for various geographic regions, plausible causes of loss and waste, various impacts of loss and waste, basic and advanced scientific practices and indigenous technical knowhow to curb the losses and wastages, policies of various countries to reduce food waste, etc. This document serves as useful reference for scientific as well as social community, policy makers and researchers and provides guidance for developing new practices and policies to reduce the menace due to Food Loss and Waste.
The Status Paper can be downloaded from: https://tinyurl.com/47rdy3j9