Food Wastage in India: Causes, Implications & Way Ahead

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The United Nations Environment Programme’s Food Waste Index Report (FWIR) 2024 reveals that 2022 the world wasted 1.05 billion tonnes of food, equating to nearly 20% of all food available to consumers. Alarmingly, India ranks among the top contributors to this global issue. This is an issue that demands our immediate attention. This issue transcends mere resource mismanagement, representing a profound moral and environmental failure.

Food Waste in India

Definition:
- Food Waste: Refers to the edible and inedible parts of food discarded at the consumption and retail stages, including households, restaurants, and food services. (Source: UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2024)
- Food Loss: Occurs during the early stages of the supply chain, such as harvesting, post-harvest handling, storage, and transportation, before reaching consumers.
Global Ranking: India is the second-largest contributor to food waste globally, discarding 78 million tonnes of food annually, following China.
Per Capita Waste: India’s per capita household food waste (55 kg/year) is lower than the U.S. (73 kg/year); India’s large population results in massive total waste.
Highest contributor: Approximately 61% of global food waste occurs at the household level.

Credit: Times of India

Causes of Food Waste in India

Over-purchasing & Poor Meal Planning: 67% of urban households waste food due to improper meal planning. (Indian Institute of Public Administration)
Limited Storage & Refrigeration: 40% of food produced in India is lost due to inadequate storage and supply chain gaps. (FAO)
Cultural Habits & Social Norms: Indian weddings generate 10-20% food waste due to over-preparation. (NABARD Consultancy Services)
Poor Supply Chain Infrastructure: India loses ₹92,651 crore worth of food annually due to inefficient supply chains.
Short Shelf Life of Perishables: Nearly 16% of fruits and vegetables produced in India are wasted due to short shelf life and poor handling. (ICAR)
Retail & Hospitality Waste: India’s food service industry generates 22 million tonnes of food waste annually.

Implication of Food Waste

Environmental Impact: Food waste contributes 8% -10% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, mainly from methane released in landfills. (UNEP, 2024)
Economic Loss: India’s food waste costs ₹1.52 lakh crore annually, nearly 3.7% of the agricultural sector’s gross value added. (NABCONS, 2022)
Food Insecurity: Over 20 crore Indians go hungry daily, while 78 million tonnes of food are wasted annually. (UNEP, 2024)
Social Injustice: While urban areas discard excess food from weddings and hotels, rural areas struggle with malnutrition and food shortages.
Pressure on Natural Resources: Food production consumes vast amounts of water, land, and energy; wastage strains these resources further.
Challenge to Sustainable Development: Food waste hinders progress toward Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) & SDG 12.3 (Reducing food waste at retail & consumer levels).

Government Initiatives to Reduce Food Wastage in India

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY): Provides subsidies for cold storage, food processing, and supply chain management to minimise post-harvest losses.
Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure Scheme: Supports farm-to-consumer cold chain networks to prevent spoilage.
Rural Godown Scheme: Enhances storage infrastructure in rural areas to reduce food loss due to inadequate storage facilities.
Save Food, Share Food, Share Joy Initiative: Encourages food donation and redistribution through collaboration with NGOs.
Indian Food Sharing Alliance (IFSA): A collaboration between FSSAI and food banks to rescue and distribute surplus food.
Mid-Day Meal Scheme & Poshan Abhiyan: Utilizes surplus food efficiently to reduce malnutrition among schoolchildren.
Consumer Awareness Campaigns: FSSAI’s Jaivik Bharat promotes responsible consumption and waste reduction.
Guidelines on Food Recovery & Safe Food Donation: Establishes legal frameworks for businesses and institutions to donate surplus food safely.

From Waste to Warming: How Food Waste Fuels Climate Change

Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Food Waste

Significant Contributor to Climate Change: 8%–10% of global GHG emissions come from food loss and waste. (UN Climate Change, 2024)
Methane Emissions from Landfills: When food decomposes in landfills, it releases methane (CH₄), a greenhouse gas 25 times more potent than CO₂ in trapping heat.

Resource Waste and Environmental Degradation

Water waste: Agriculture consumes 70% of global freshwater, and wasted food means wasted water.
Deforestation and biodiversity loss: More land is cleared for agriculture, but one-third of produced food is never eaten.

Impact on Global Climate Patterns

Increased carbon footprint: The entire food supply chain, from production to disposal, contributes to global warming.
Soil degradation: Unused fertilizers and pesticides from overproduced but wasted food contribute to soil pollution and reduced agricultural productivity.

Way Forward: Actions That Need to Be Taken

Individual Actions

Smart Meal Planning & Shopping: Create and stick to shopping lists to avoid over-purchasing.
Efficient Food Storage: Use airtight containers & store food at the right temperature to extend shelf life.
Creative of Leftovers: Transform leftovers into new meals (e.g., turning leftover vegetables into soup).
Composting Organic Waste: Convert kitchen scraps into compost (e.g., vermicomposting) to reduce landfill waste.
Food Donation: Share surplus food with local food banks, charities, or community kitchens.

Systemic Reforms

Government Investments: Expand cold storage facilities and improve transportation infrastructure to minimise food loss.
Sustainable Business Practices: Encourage restaurants, supermarkets, and hotels to redistribute unsold food instead of discarding it.
Educational Awareness: Schools and universities should promote responsible consumption and waste reduction techniques.
Policy Support & Subsidies:
- Support food redistribution networks (E.g., apps connecting surplus food with those in need).
- Provide subsidies for cold storage solutions, helping farmers preserve perishable produce.

Case Studies of Reducing Food Wastage

Global level

Denmark – Stop Wasting Food Movement: Through awareness campaigns, regulations, and stakeholder engagement, Denmark has achieved a 25% reduction in household food waste within five years.
South Korea – Pay-As-You-Throw Program: A system where households are charged based on the waste they generate, resulting in a 30% decrease in food waste.

India level

Food Bank (Royapettah): A charitable trust that collects surplus food from weddings, events, and hotels within a 5-6 km radius to distribute to the needy.
Ayyamittu Unn (The Public Foundation): A project that has installed community fridges across Chennai, allowing people to donate excess food for those in need.
RYA Madras Metro – Chennai Food Bank: Collects food grains from donors and distributes them to underprivileged communities, ensuring food reaches those who need it most.

A multi-pronged approach combining individual responsibility and systemic reforms is essential to curbing food waste, reducing environmental impact, and enhancing food security.

Reference: The Hindu

PMF IAS Pathfinder for Mains – Question 138

Q. Despite being a major food producer, India experiences substantial food wastage. Analyse key reasons behind this wastage, and examine its implication on national food security and environmental sustainability. (250 Words) (15 Marks)

Approach

Introduction: Write a contextual introduction by mentioning the food waste index report.
Body: Analyze key reasons for wastage and examine its implication on national food security and environmental sustainability.
Conclusion: Write a holistic conclusion by mentioning ways forward, such as cold storage, streamlined supply chains, and food redistribution.