Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje inaugurates South Asian workshop on Food Loss and Waste Prevention

Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Sushri Shobha Karandlaje, inaugurated the International Workshop on Food Loss and Waste Prevention in the South Asian Region in New Delhi. The workshop, jointly organized by the Indian Council of Agriculture Research and the Thünen Institute, Germany and was attended by approximately 120 delegates from India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, France, Germany, Indonesia, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.

The global issue of food loss and waste amounts to approximately 3 billion tonnes of wasted food worldwide which necessitates adoption of proven technologies and practices from developed and developing countries and active participation of social organisations in spreading awareness.

It was noted that food loss has implications for consumers, the environment, and economies. The need to identify the primary causes of food loss and waste, promote education and awareness, improve harvest and storage processes, enhance distribution efficiency, involve the food industry, encourage food donation, explore innovative packaging solutions, and foster consumer responsibility was highlighted. The workshop, spanning three days, is aimed at shaping effective policies to combat food loss and waste.

Dr. Stefan Lange mentioned the importance of preventing food loss and waste and the global collaboration initiative in this regard. Clementine O’Connor of the United Nations Environment Programme discussed food loss and waste metrics and their impact on agriculture and the environment, emphasizing the need for policy development and awareness.

Dr. K Narsaiah presented the historical perspective of food loss and highlighted indigenous methods to prevent waste. Delegates pledged to prevent food loss and waste in various settings. DDG (NRM) Dr. SK Chaudhari and Deputy Director General (Ag. Engg.) Dr. SN Jha welcomed the guests and delegates, emphasizing the variation in post-harvest losses and food waste due to various factors. They discussed the importance of addressing food loss and waste, particularly in the South Asian Region, which faces challenges despite abundant agricultural production, impacting food security, the environment, the economy, and society. Approximately 74 million tonnes of food are lost in India annually, representing a significant opportunity for improvement.