World Food Day: The Huge Global Waste

Mexico City, (October 16, 2021).- Food waste worldwide reaches scandalous figures and is a practice that is carried out in all countries and not only in the most developed ones, as is believed. The United Nations (UN) indicates that in just one year 931 tons of food are thrown away.

In contrast, an estimated 811 million people suffer from hunger and 132 million face food insecurity.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) reported that in 2019 17 percent of the total food produced was wasted, a figure that can translate into a loss of 400 billion dollars.

October 16 marks World Food Day, a date proclaimed to sensitize all the peoples of the world to work for the eradication of hunger.

FAO emphasizes that access to food is a right recognized by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the States must guarantee its safeguarding.

Therefore, food waste must be addressed urgently.

“Food insecurity, hunger and malnutrition affect all the countries of the world, none are exempt. Some 811 million people suffer from hunger; 2 billion have micronutrient deficiencies, that is, vitamin and mineral deficiencies; and millions of children are stunted and wasted, deadly forms of malnutrition, ” says Nancy Aburto, FAO Deputy Director for Economic and Social Development.

The reduction of waste would imply improvements in food security, which means that the world would be better nourished. 

Source: La jornada maya