Why in News: September 29: International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste (IDAFLW). NABCONS (2022) study: Post-harvest losses cost India ₹1.5 trillion annually (~3.7% of agri GDP).
Context:
FAO–NIFTEM study: Food loss from 30 commodities → 33 million tonnes of CO₂-equivalent emissions annually.
India’s Food Loss Challenge
1. Scale of losses
- Fruits & vegetables: 10–15%.
- Paddy: 4.8%, Wheat: 4.2%.
2. Economic & social impact
- Foregone farmer income, reduced food availability.
- Strain on national food security.
3. Climate impact
- Rice methane intensity, livestock products’ footprint.
- Loss = wasted water, energy, fertilisers, and labour.
4. Systemic gaps
- Weak infrastructure, fragmented supply chains, limited tech adoption.
- Losses occur early (handling, processing, distribution).
Solutions
1. Infrastructure & Technology
- Strengthen cold chains under PMKSY.
- Affordable innovations: solar cold storage, low-cost silos, crates, cooling chambers.
- Digital tools: IoT, AI forecasting, FAO FLAPP app (2023).
2. Circular Economy
- Redirect surplus food to banks/kitchens.
- Convert waste into compost, bioenergy, animal feed.
3. Policy Support
- Subsidies, credit guarantees, low-interest loans.
- Integrate loss reduction into climate action plans.
4. Shared Responsibility
- Government: resilient infra.
- Businesses: circular supply chains.
- Civil society: awareness, research.
- Consumers: mindful use, redistribution.
Conclusion
Food loss is both an economic and climate crisis. Tackling it ensures food security, conserves resources, and supports climate commitments. An empty plate should symbolise nourishment — not waste.
UPSC Relevance
GS Paper III – Indian Economy & Agriculture
- Issues of post-harvest losses, food processing, cold chain infrastructure.
GS Paper III – Environment & Climate Change
- GHG emissions from food loss and waste.
Mains Practice Question
Q. “Food loss and waste represent not just foregone nutrition but also wasted resources and rising greenhouse gas emissions. Discuss the economic, social and climate impacts of food loss in India and suggest a multi-pronged strategy to address it.” (250 words)