“Households worldwide wasted over 1 billion meals a day in 2022, while 783 million people suffered from hunger and a third of the total human population faced food insecurity.”

April 24, 2024, serves as a reminder to individuals, communities, companies, and governments that food waste has become a problem that can no longer be overlooked. The data presented above is an irony of social and economic inequality in access to food. A total of 132 kg of food waste, equivalent to nearly a fifth of all food available for consumption worldwide, was generated in 2022. In fact, 60% of this food waste came from households.

Food waste is a complex problem caused by many factors and leading to various consequences. When produced food turns into waste, it means that all the resources used for its production are also wasted. These resources range from water, land, and energy to capital and labor. Waste management systems that still use landfills can also trigger the production of greenhouse gas emissions, which accelerate climate change.

Both developed and developing countries have similarly high levels of food waste production. The difference is that in developed countries, food waste occurs at the retail and consumer levels, whereas in developing countries, it happens at the farm or plantation and during the distribution process to the market. This is caused by poor infrastructure and storage. In developed countries, supermarkets order more food than they can sell, and people buy more than they need. Often, this is a consumer response to special offers or advertisements, and ultimately, the food is thrown away while still in good condition.

On the other hand, food waste in developing countries is largely generated from farmers’ crops rotting in the fields because roads are impassable and storage is inadequate. Additionally, poor food quality resulting from improper processing (over-cooking, packaging issues, and non-standard sizes and weights) is another reason why this food is discarded. One of the biggest challenges for developing countries in solving this problem is the lack of management, funding, and food storage.

Stop Food Waste Day offers hope for the global community to realize the importance of reducing food waste. Some of the benefits that can be generated from this include improving global nutrition, achieving food security, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. As individuals living in a household, we can participate in reducing food waste by implementing smart shopping habits.

Strategies for shopping start with small things like:

• Writing a shopping list and planning what meals will be cooked so we can estimate our needs.
• Ensuring that our refrigerator is set to an optimal temperature.
• Understanding the best way to store each food item to maximize its shelf life.
• Knowing the difference between “use-by” and “best-by” dates. “Use-by” refers to food that should not be consumed after the expiration date for safety. Meanwhile, a “best-by date” or “best before” means the food can still be eaten after that date.

Through a shared commitment on Stop Food Waste Day and beyond, we can strive for a sustainable and equitable food system. By reducing food waste, we have the potential to conserve natural resources, mitigate the impacts of climate change, and ensure equitable access to decent food. Let us start moving today to shape a better future for our planet and generations to come.