Save Food and Sustain Life

We used to buy food items above our requirement and tend to leave it to perish. Also, we
throw away food in ignorance of its quality, depending on food date labels. These
irresponsible practices done in ignorance leads to colossal food waste. In the USA, 30 to 40
percent of consumable food is lost due to wastage. It is also the same in other affluent
nations. In oil-rich Arabian countries, there is a significant wastage of food, where they
produce less food, and much they import. In developing countries, a considerable wastage
happens due to spoilage.

Human skill, animal energy, land space, water, manure, and chemicals, are the factors used
in the production process of food, globally. Making food waste less and feeding every human
being who is in need we can do justice to the above factors. Presently the process is in the
negative. On one side, according to reliable sources, about 1.3 billion tons of food is wasted
annually in the world. We should access the injustice and damage done to the above factors
due to this colossal wastage. We have to consider the impact of food waste on environment
pollution and climate change. Land losing fertility status, water scarcity, and above all,
human energy misspent, and human being unfed are the other impacts.
Statistically, due to this wastage of 1.3 billion tons of food, 3.3 billion tons of greenhouse
gases are emitted to the environment making the world un-livable. The economic
consequences due to this catastrophe are estimated to be around $750 billion annually,
according to the UNEP 2016 report.
As the world population increase, the demand for food also increases. With this tide, if the
food wastage increase, then the world will face a great calamity, despite the growth of new
technology and new inventions.
Food wastage in the third world and developing countries is at the production level and
transportation level. Above is basically due to lack of new technology, proper road facilities,
and appropriate transporting machinery. According to FAO, this is about 54%. 46% is at the
processing, distribution, and consumption level. Of this wastage, 30% is at the consumption
level. Meat producing Latin American countries face the problem of wasting 67% of the
production due to the anomalies mentioned above.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimates that each year,
one-third of all food produced in the world (around 1.3 billion tons) is lost or wasted. Above
figure includes 45% of all fruit and vegetables, 35% of fish and seafood, 30% of cereals, 20% of
dairy products, and 20% of meat.

Amidst all this, we witness, about people, who starve, who are malnourished, and who have
no access to safe water, all around the world.
Lack of proper management in the food supply chain and lack of clarity among the consumers
are the causes leading to food waste. The present food labeling system needs amendments,
to save the consumer from the confusion, which is the leading cause of unwanted food
waste. In the USA, the Food and Drugs Authority has taken steps to revise food labels, to
assure consumer confidence.  

Developing countries face a significant brunt in food wastage due to financial difficulties, lack
of up to date technology, infrastructure, and adverse climatic conditions. Food and
Agriculture organization with the collaboration of those governments has taken steps to
adopt:
1. New methods in cultivation,
2. To cultivate what is in demand,
3. Proper and sufficient storage facilities with modern technology
In Sri Lanka, there is very little food waste among consumers. At the production stage, there
are problems regarding storage, transportation, and marketing their products, which leads to
spoilage and waste. This situation is sometimes due to over-production, inefficient, and
insufficient storage facilities, and lack of proper transport facilities. When there is over-
production, there is the problem of marketing it. In Sri Lanka cost of production of food is
high, and trade sector buys them at very low prices,and people who engage in agriculture is
always poor. They cannot go for new technology or new agricultural methods because it is
costly and out of reach. They can not dream of freezer storages, freezer equipped transport
facilities. Adverse climatic conditions prevailed in the recent years had a great impact on
agriculure, and farmers became more poor. In addition to adverse climate, wild animals
destroy the harvests all over the island. It is estimated to be around 40% of the production.
Though per capita income of people have increased according to World Bank figures, it does
not reach the poor at the village level. It is just a myth.
Even after these setbacks.there are positive trends towards achieving much more efficient
ways to prevent food waste at all levels. We have a culture and a tradition, where, the
prepared food, we share among the neighbors, friends, employees, and relations. Even the
left-over food used to feed animals, and the remainder used in composting. Sri Lankan
culture and tradition is always against un-ethical food waste. With less wastage, we have to
be self-sufficient in food less the hazzards mentioned previously. In Sri Lanka, mal-nutrition or
under-nutrition is there. Culture allows no family to go unfed. But poor are there with no land
spaces to cultivate or shelters to live in. They always go hungry for days and does not like to
strech their hands for alms.
Resonable destribution of per capita income, diversification food production, use of new
technology and well-developed infra-structure including communication, refrigeration, and
transport will enable the farmer to gain self-confidence.