Having food leftovers goes beyond scrapping it off the plates. Its
impacts on our natural resources and the environment at large, is
enormous. DOYIN ADEOYE writes on how food wastage affects the
environment.
With
a population projected to reach 9.6 billion by 2050, it is obvious that
food production in the world would always be on the increase and as
such, there will always be leftovers. With the increasing population
rate, the world is now producing and consuming more resources than ever.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) in 2011 estimated that each year, one-third of all food produced for human consumption in the world, which is around 1.3 billion tonnes, is lost or wasted. This includes 45 per cent of all fruit and vegetables, 35 per cent of fish and seafood, 30 per cent of cereals, 20 per cent of dairy products and 20 per cent of meat.
From raw foods that go uncooked, to the cooked that are uneaten, and the leftovers on the plate, food loss and wastage have significant impacts on the environment. Water, fuel and energy are required in food production processes, storing, transportation and cooking. Besides the natural resources that are discarded when there is food wastage, greenhouse gases emissions occur in many stages of food production, therefore, contributing to climate change.
Across countries, especially the developed nations, many are not aware of the tremendous amount of food that is wasted and the impact that has on world hunger, political stability, the environment and climate change.
Food Microbiologist, Mr Samson Ajobiewe, said that wasting of food indirectly accounts for imprudent use of natural resources in the food production process, as well as being a contributing factor to environmental issues.
“Natural resources such as water and land, as well as chemicals like fertilisers and pesticides used in food production processes, are affected when people waste food. Apart from these, the fuel used in transporting the farm produce is also wasted. When food is thrown out and it begins to rot, it produces methane, which is one of the most harmful greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.
“Food wastage is a global issue and many people don’t know that the simple act of scraping leftovers off their plates, contributes immensely to one of the most tackled issue in the world, which is global warming. This is one of the reasons the ‘Think Eat Save: Reduce Your Foodprint’ campaign by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), was birthed, to encourage people to reduce their foodprint,” he said.
According to experts, much of the world’s resources are used to produce food. This includes 40 per cent of its land, 70 per cent of its freshwater and 30 per cent of its energy. Therefore, every piece of food that is thrown away represents wasted resources.
Where food wastage occurs at the consumer level, food loss mostly occurs at the production, postharvest, and processing levels. Without adequate storage facilities and transportation, many countries across Africa record tremendous food losses. In Nigeria, for instance, before some farm produce such as tomatoes, pepper and vegetables are transported from the North to the South West, the conditions of the roads as well as the way they are packed, make many of it unfit to eat even before they reach the markets.
Also, due to poor infrastructure and storage facilities, many of those that make it to the market, over time, also often rot away.
Of those that eventually make it to the consumer; some are still scrapped into the trashcans. This, over the years, has remained the food chain.
However, besides gas emissions, food wastage, especially those along drainages, could also cause flooding. Land degradation is also an important factor of food wastage. Most of the food wastage at the production stage often occurs in regions where the soil is already in poor shape, and this further adds undue pressure on the land. In a bid to analyse the impacts of global food wastage from an environmental perspective, the FAO conducted a study, ‘Food Wastage Footprint: Impacts on Natural Resources,’ where it looked specifically at the consequences of food wastage on the climate, water and land use, and biodiversity.
According to it, the carbon footprint of food produced and not eaten is estimated at 3.3 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases. Therefore, if food waste were a country, it would be the world’s third largest emitter of greenhouse gases, behind the United States and China.
Many often wonder where else they could throw their food leftovers if not in the bin.
The best approach to this is to buy, cook and eat moderately. Where it is cooked in excess already, it could be given out to those in need, especially before it becomes leftovers on the plate. With the United Nations goal of wiping out hunger by 2030, if the amount of food wasted around the world were reduced by just 25 per cent, there would be enough food to feed all the people who are malnourished.
According to Mr Adedeji Olabode, an environmentalist, there is also a need for more investments in infrastructure and transportation in the agricultural sector.
“If more is invested in terms of infrastructure, transportation, as well as training of farmers on food processing and packaging, food wastage will be curbed to a reasonable extent. I also believe that state governments need to come up with food safety policies, as this will not only help in their productions, but will also ensure that more food is safe for consumption.
“Every individual can make an effective contribution to this effect. If people cook just what they need, then there will be no waste. Also, with more public awareness, people in turn will know the safe practices in food management. If farmers are trained on the right time to harvest their crops, how much rain some crops can be exposed to, the right equipment to use and other issues, food decay rates will reduce,” he said.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) in 2011 estimated that each year, one-third of all food produced for human consumption in the world, which is around 1.3 billion tonnes, is lost or wasted. This includes 45 per cent of all fruit and vegetables, 35 per cent of fish and seafood, 30 per cent of cereals, 20 per cent of dairy products and 20 per cent of meat.
From raw foods that go uncooked, to the cooked that are uneaten, and the leftovers on the plate, food loss and wastage have significant impacts on the environment. Water, fuel and energy are required in food production processes, storing, transportation and cooking. Besides the natural resources that are discarded when there is food wastage, greenhouse gases emissions occur in many stages of food production, therefore, contributing to climate change.
Across countries, especially the developed nations, many are not aware of the tremendous amount of food that is wasted and the impact that has on world hunger, political stability, the environment and climate change.
Food Microbiologist, Mr Samson Ajobiewe, said that wasting of food indirectly accounts for imprudent use of natural resources in the food production process, as well as being a contributing factor to environmental issues.
“Natural resources such as water and land, as well as chemicals like fertilisers and pesticides used in food production processes, are affected when people waste food. Apart from these, the fuel used in transporting the farm produce is also wasted. When food is thrown out and it begins to rot, it produces methane, which is one of the most harmful greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.
“Food wastage is a global issue and many people don’t know that the simple act of scraping leftovers off their plates, contributes immensely to one of the most tackled issue in the world, which is global warming. This is one of the reasons the ‘Think Eat Save: Reduce Your Foodprint’ campaign by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), was birthed, to encourage people to reduce their foodprint,” he said.
According to experts, much of the world’s resources are used to produce food. This includes 40 per cent of its land, 70 per cent of its freshwater and 30 per cent of its energy. Therefore, every piece of food that is thrown away represents wasted resources.
Where food wastage occurs at the consumer level, food loss mostly occurs at the production, postharvest, and processing levels. Without adequate storage facilities and transportation, many countries across Africa record tremendous food losses. In Nigeria, for instance, before some farm produce such as tomatoes, pepper and vegetables are transported from the North to the South West, the conditions of the roads as well as the way they are packed, make many of it unfit to eat even before they reach the markets.
Also, due to poor infrastructure and storage facilities, many of those that make it to the market, over time, also often rot away.
Of those that eventually make it to the consumer; some are still scrapped into the trashcans. This, over the years, has remained the food chain.
However, besides gas emissions, food wastage, especially those along drainages, could also cause flooding. Land degradation is also an important factor of food wastage. Most of the food wastage at the production stage often occurs in regions where the soil is already in poor shape, and this further adds undue pressure on the land. In a bid to analyse the impacts of global food wastage from an environmental perspective, the FAO conducted a study, ‘Food Wastage Footprint: Impacts on Natural Resources,’ where it looked specifically at the consequences of food wastage on the climate, water and land use, and biodiversity.
According to it, the carbon footprint of food produced and not eaten is estimated at 3.3 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases. Therefore, if food waste were a country, it would be the world’s third largest emitter of greenhouse gases, behind the United States and China.
Many often wonder where else they could throw their food leftovers if not in the bin.
The best approach to this is to buy, cook and eat moderately. Where it is cooked in excess already, it could be given out to those in need, especially before it becomes leftovers on the plate. With the United Nations goal of wiping out hunger by 2030, if the amount of food wasted around the world were reduced by just 25 per cent, there would be enough food to feed all the people who are malnourished.
According to Mr Adedeji Olabode, an environmentalist, there is also a need for more investments in infrastructure and transportation in the agricultural sector.
“If more is invested in terms of infrastructure, transportation, as well as training of farmers on food processing and packaging, food wastage will be curbed to a reasonable extent. I also believe that state governments need to come up with food safety policies, as this will not only help in their productions, but will also ensure that more food is safe for consumption.
“Every individual can make an effective contribution to this effect. If people cook just what they need, then there will be no waste. Also, with more public awareness, people in turn will know the safe practices in food management. If farmers are trained on the right time to harvest their crops, how much rain some crops can be exposed to, the right equipment to use and other issues, food decay rates will reduce,” he said.
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