Ind Food & Beverage Association (IFBA) has released a report on food wastage, wherein it is recommended that the wastage can be reduced through an integrated approach involving policy reform, technological innovation and public awareness campaigns.<\/p>\n
The report, titled \u201cCall to Action Report \u2013 For Reducing Food Wastage\u201d, was recently presented by IFBA to Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, an additional secretary in union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, according to a statement by the industry body.<\/p>\n
\u201cIndia\u2019s pre-harvest supply chain is challenged by a combination of factors including limited access to quality inputs, financial constraints, poor infrastructure, climate unpredictability, and policy inefficiencies at the farm level. Addressing these issues requires coordinated efforts from the government, private sector, and agricultural communities to build a more resilient and sustainable supply chain,\u201d said Kidwai.<\/p>\n
The report addresses the pain points and recommendations to fight these supply chain issues while highlighting how India can significantly reduce food loss and waste, leading to greater food security, improved farmer incomes, and a more sustainable food system, the statement said quoting Kidwai.<\/p>\n
The report explores the scale of food wastage in India compared with other countries, identifies the main reasons for wastage, evaluates the effectiveness of existing policies, and recommends strategic interventions to minimize food wastage, IFBA said.<\/p>\n
\nOpportunity to enhance efficiency
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The report said while India has made some progress in reducing food wastage, significant opportunities exist to enhance efficiency and reduce waste through integrated approaches involving policy reform, technological innovation, and public awareness campaigns.<\/p>\n
\u201cReducing food wastage is a moral and economic responsibility. By cutting down on waste, we can feed more people, conserve valuable resources, and create a more sustainable future for the food industry and our communities. To fight this menace of food loss and waste in India, we need a roadmap based on data-driven strategies and solutions by taking into account the challenges faced by diverse stakeholders,\u201d said Deepak Jolly, chairman of IFBA.<\/p>\n
The report highlights significant gaps in research, policy, and practice which need to be addressed systematically to manage food loss and waste in India. Drawing upon extensive research and industry knowledge, the report outlines some practical recommendations to address this national challenge of food loss and food waste, the statement said.<\/p>\n
IFBA has suggested adopting a standard metric for estimating food loss and waste that will help generate comparable data from different studies across time and geographies. The global Food Loss and Waste Accounting and Reporting Standard developed by the FLW Protocol could be adopted in India, it said and offered to collaborate with government.<\/p>\n
\nOther key points
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Other suggestions include integration of circular economy principles into food systems to drastically reduce food loss and waste, creating a more sustainable, efficient, and equitable food ecosystem, identification of hotspots and critical loss points that needs redressal.<\/p>\n
\u201cFood loss and waste reduction should be seen as a means towards achieving other objectives including improving food security and nutrition, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and lowering pressure on water and land resources, which contribute towards increased productivity and economic growth,\u201d the report said.<\/p>\n
Rajeev Ranjan, Managing Director, McDonald\u2019s India – North & East, said the challenge isn\u2019t food scarcity but inefficiencies in how food is distributed, while commenting on the report. \u201cBy empowering our famers, including technology-driven insights, optimizing logistics, and reducing wastage across value chains from harvesting to consumption, we can make significant stride towards addressing hunger and securing a sustainable future for generations,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n