Last Updated: September 29, 2022, 09:10 IST
International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste assumes huge importance due to the rising food insecurity across the globe.
The theme for this year’s International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste will be, ‘Stop Food Loss and Waste! For People and Planet’
The International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste (IDAFLW) will be observed on September 29. This day assumes huge importance due to the rising food insecurity across the globe. Due to various reasons, domestic food price inflation remains high in several prominent countries. Moreover, the lingering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have exponentially increased food insecurity in the most vulnerable regions of the world.
According to the World Food Programme, as many as 96 million additional people were pushed into acute food insecurity in 2020 across 54 International Development Association (IDA) countries. The International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste seeks to start the debate around cutting food loss and waste (FLW) to mitigate climate change. By minimizing food loss and waste, we can support food security.
International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste 2022: Theme
The theme for this year’s International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste will be, ‘Stop Food Loss and Waste! For People and Planet.’
International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste: History
On December 19 2019, the UN General Assembly designated September 29 as the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste. The UNGA recognised that the observance of the International Day would contribute significantly in raising awareness about reducing food loss and waste. The Food and Nutrition Organization of the UN (FAO) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) collaborate in order to facilitate the observance of this Day.
International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste: Significance
This day makes a clear call to action for public and private entities to work together in order to minimize food loss and waste. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, an estimated 14 percent of the world’s food is lost between harvest and retail. Moreover, an estimated 17 per cent is wasted in retail and at the consumption level.
This food loss and waste accounts for 8-10 per cent of the total global greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs). Governments across the world need to collaborate and find a solution to cut food loss and waste. It is worth noting that if greenhouse gas emissions are not controlled, extreme weather events such as droughts and flooding will become more prevalent.
