IFBA urges collective efforts to curb food waste

The Ind Food & Beverage Association (IFBA) has released a report titled Call to Action – For Reducing Food Waste, highlighting India’s significant food waste and exploring causes like inefficient pre-harvest practices, policy gaps, and infrastructure issues.

The Ind Food & Beverage Association (IFBA) has released an insightful paper titled ‘Call to Action paper – For Reducing Food Waste’. Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, additional secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, presented and unveiled the entire report.

The paper investigates the extent of food waste in India in comparison to global scenarios, identifies the primary causes of waste, assesses the effectiveness of current legislation, and suggests strategic initiatives to reduce food waste. The research is aimed for all industry players, including consumers, FBOs, and policymakers/food regulators, and emphasises the urgent need for joint effort to tackle this vital issue.

World Food Day, celebrated annually on October 16, strives to promote solutions for a sustainable food future. This year’s theme, ‘Right to Food for a Better Life and a Better Future,’ highlights the fundamental human right to food that is accessible, nutritious, affordable, and sustainable, ensuring everyone’s health and dignity. IFBA’s research perfectly captures the issue, emphasising the critical need for long-term solutions to reduce food waste and secure food security for all.

The conclusions of this Call-to-Action study indicate that, while India has achieved some progress, there are tremendous opportunities to improve efficiency and reduce waste through integrated methods that include legislative reform, technical innovation, and public awareness campaigns.

“India’s pre-harvest supply chain is challenged by a combination of factors including limited access to quality inputs, financial constraints, poor infrastructure, climate unpredictability, and policy inefficiencies at the farm level, says Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, additional secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.”