Steps demanded to reduce wastage of food: PEW
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Food loss wasting billion of investment annually
The Pakistan Economy Watch (PEW) on Sunday demanded steps to reduce wastage of food as tens of millions of people including children and mothers continue to face food security issues in Pakistan.
Proper storage and food waste management system in the country can help increase income of farmers and feed the starving people, it said.
Tonnes of food is wasted in all the countries of the world including Pakistan which if saved can eradicate hunger from all the globe, said Dr. Murtaza Mughal, President PEW.
Food grown over 1.4 billion hectare, an area larger than China, is wasted annually which also waste all the efforts of the farming communities, he added.
Dr. Murtaza Mughal said that billions of dollars are invested annually in seeds, pesticides, transportation while wasting 250 cubic kilometres of water used to grow crops is also wasted adding to global food insecurity and hunger.
While 800 million people in the world go hungry every day, nearly 100 million tonnes of Europe’s food is wasted each year that is no longer bearable, he said adding that the statistics highlight the need to address the problem while food services industry should be pushed to more competitive food services industry.
He noted that management and logistics systems for food and food waste should be improved in cities which are centres of consumption that are also expanding with an alarming pace.
Proper legislation is needed to bar hotels and supermarkets from throwing away food and give it to needy, he demanded.
He said that government and private sector can establish food banks and initiate food recovery programmes to have a social impact in terms of reducing hunger and providing social benefits.
