Tackling food loss and waste — India’s opportunity

GS-III – Agriculture | Food Security | Environment | Sustainable Development

Why in News?

• International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste: Observed annually on September 29, highlighting this opportunity for India.
• Triple Win: Tackling food loss and waste can deliver a triple win:
  • Strengthening food security and nutrition.
  • Reducing pressure on natural resources and emissions.
  • Improving incomes and productivity.

Food Loss and Waste: India’s Challenge

• Persistent Challenge: Food loss and waste remain one of the world’s most persistent challenges, with severe consequences for:
  • Climate.
  • Food security.
  • Economic costs.
  • Sustainable use of natural resources.
• India: India produces enough to feed its population of 1.4 billion, yet a significant share of its produce is lost across the value chain.
• Agrifood Systems: Tackling food loss and waste can help India advance towards more resilient, sustainable and efficient agrifood systems.
• Resources: When food is lost, so are the resources used to produce it.
• Climate and Resource Efficiency: Reducing losses can help India meet its climate and resource-efficiency goals while strengthening food security.

India’s Evidence Base – A Global First

• National Post-Harvest Loss Surveys: India is the only country to have conducted three national post-harvest loss surveys.
• Ministry of Food Processing Industries: Assessed losses across:
  • 45 commodities: 2005–07.
  • 45 commodities: 2012–14.
  • 54 commodities: 2020–22.
• Coverage: The surveys covered the supply chain from farm to retail.
• Fourth Round: The process for a fourth round is now under way.
• Food Loss Index: This sustained effort supports its reporting of the Food Loss Index under the Sustainable Development Goals.

Data Gap

• Existing Estimates: These estimates cover mainly losses on the farm and in the supply chain.
• Less Developed Data: Data on food waste remains far less developed in:
  • Retail.
  • Hotels and restaurants.
  • Households.

FAO and the Triple Win

• FAO: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is working with the government, research and financial institutions across India’s agrifood systems.
• Core Initiatives: Generating evidence, testing technologies and mobilising investment from farm to market to the city have been the core of these initiatives.
• Food Security: Reducing losses can strengthen food security.
• Climate and Resources: Reducing losses can help India meet its climate and resource-efficiency goals.
• Key Areas: The scope for reducing losses is greatest with better:
  • Storage.
  • Drying.
  • Cooling.
  • Moisture management.
  • Processing.
• Digital Tools: Digital tools such as traceability systems can further improve how food is moved and managed through the supply chain.

Policy and Investment

• Systematic Integration: Food loss and waste need to be integrated more systematically into:
  • Agricultural planning.
  • Food-processing strategies.
  • Climate action.
  • Investment decisions.
• Finance: Finance needs to be directed towards technologies and infrastructure where they can have the greatest impact.
• Accessibility: Solutions need to remain affordable and accessible to:
  • Farmers.
  • Producer organisations.
  • Small businesses.

Circular Approaches

• Surplus Food: Surplus food can be redistributed.
• Organic Residues: Unavoidable organic residues can be converted into:
  • Compost.
  • Biogas.
  • Energy.
• Economic Value: This can reduce waste and create additional economic value.

Wholesale Markets – An Overlooked Opportunity

• Organic Waste: Assessments by the FAO and the National Council of Agriculture Marketing Boards (COSAMB) have found that major wholesale markets can generate up to 100 tonnes of organic waste a day.
• Urban Organic Waste: In some cities, as much as a fifth of all urban organic waste reaches landfills.
• Nationally: This adds up to an estimated 3.5 million tonnes a year.
• Resource Base: It is not a waste stream but a resource base.
• Emission Reduction: If treated, it can offset roughly 3.3 million tonnes of CO₂-equivalent emissions annually.
• Carbon Credits: This is close to $30 million in carbon credits.

Surat Bio-CNG Model

• Bio-CNG Plant: A 50-tonne-a-day bio-CNG plant in Surat, Gujarat, has been run through a private-sector partnership for over five years.
• Methane-related Emissions: It reportedly cuts methane-related emissions by about 7,500 tonnes a year.
• Adaptation: India can adapt such models to local conditions, including the commodity mix and infrastructure of different markets.
• Municipalities and Market Committees: They can improve:
  • Organic-waste segregation.
  • Collection.
  • Treatment.
• Recovered Materials: Markets can be developed for:
  • Compost.
  • Biogas.
  • Other recovered materials.

Investment and Innovation

• National Approach: India must move from individual interventions to a more connected national approach with financing at its core.
• FAO and SIDBI: The FAO and the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) are linking identified food-loss hotspots with climate-resilient technologies such as:
  • Drying.
  • Moisture control.
  • Energy-efficient cooling.
  • Storage.
• Finance for SMEs: SIDBI is arranging finance to help small and medium enterprises adopt them.
• Urban Food Loss and Waste Management: The FAO is also working to equip Indian cities with a practical “Package of Practices”.
• Municipalities: This gives municipalities the tools to:
  • Measure.
  • Prevent.
  • Reduce.
  • Redistribute.
  • Valorise waste.
• Coverage: Across:
  • Households.
  • Wholesale markets.
  • Retail.
  • Food service.

Way Forward

• Close Data Gaps: The priority is to close data gaps.
• Direct Investment: Direct investment towards technologies and infrastructure where they can have the greatest impact.
• Affordable and Accessible Solutions: Ensure that solutions remain affordable and accessible to farmers, producer organisations and small businesses.
• Policy Integration: Make loss reduction part of:
  • Agricultural policy.
  • Food-processing policy.
  • Urban policy.
  • Climate policy.
• Connected National Approach: Move from individual interventions to a more connected national approach with financing at its core.
• Circular Approaches: Redistribute surplus food and convert unavoidable organic residues into compost, biogas or energy.
• Wholesale Markets: Improve organic-waste segregation, collection and treatment while developing markets for compost, biogas and other recovered materials.
• Technology and Finance: Link identified food-loss hotspots with climate-resilient technologies and finance.
• Package of Practices: Equip cities with tools to measure, prevent, reduce, redistribute and valorise waste.

Conclusion

• Data, Technology and Models: India now has the data, technology and viable models to reduce food loss and waste.
• Priority: The priority is to close data gaps, direct investment and make loss reduction part of agricultural, food-processing, urban and climate policy.
• Triple Win: Tackling food loss and waste can deliver a triple win by strengthening food security and nutrition, reducing pressure on natural resources and emissions, and improving incomes and productivity.

UPSC Mains Practice Question

Q. “Tackling food loss and waste can deliver a triple win for India.” Discuss the measures needed to reduce food loss and waste across India’s agrifood systems.