Nairobi [Kenya], September 30: Every day, over a billion meals are left uneaten, whether due to excess food production, spoilage or poor meal planning, according to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
The issue is in the spotlight on the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, observed on 29 September - convened by UNEP and the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
This year, focus is on the link with protecting forests and ensuring sustainable agrifood systems.
"Using the food we already produce more efficiently can reduce pressure on land and forests and help feed more people," said Michael Muratha, a Programme Manager at UNEP, speaking from its headquarters in Nairobi.
Moreover, having healthy forests also support food production in several ways, including by protecting soils and regulating rainfall.
UNEP is highlighting how taking action can reduce losses by promoting measures such as investing in better food handling, storage and transport.
Muratha stressed that strengthening cold chain systems for perishable foods is also important.
UNEP is also backing efforts to redirect safe surplus food to people who need it, such as children at daycare centres in underserved communities.
"AI is also showing promise," he added. "In a UNEP-supported initiative involving 13 hotels, AI tools helped measure discarded food and adjust purchasing and preparation, reducing post-consumer breakfast waste by 62% in four months."
Last year, UNEP and partners launched the Food Waste Breakthrough initiative at the UN COP31 climate change conference in Brazil with the goal of halving food waste by 2030, reducing methane emissions and supporting climate action.
Muratha said taking action could help reduce some of the more than $1 trillion lost globally each year through food loss and waste, while every dollar invested in prevention saves cities $8 and households $84.
"For communities, it means more food reaching people and greater resilience when harvests, prices or supply chains are disrupted," he said.
"It will not end hunger on its own, but it is an important part of building more secure and sustainable food systems."
Source: Emirates News Agency
