UN agency urges action to cut 1.3-B tons of food wasted globally

wastage has become a primary concern of Quezon City authorities after reports of the United Nations (UN) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) revealed that 1.3 billion tons of food are wasted globally.

The report also noted that one in every seven people in the world goes hungry and more than 20,000 children under the age of five die from hunger daily.

It was also noted that it takes about 1,000 liters of water to produce one liter of milk and about 16,000 liters go to a cow’s food to make a hamburger.

With this, FAO noted the resulting greenhouse gas emissions from the cows themselves, and throughout the food supply chain, all end up in vain when we waste food.

With this report, Councilors Victor Ferrer Jr., Eufemio Lagumbay and Ranulfo Ludovica has strongly pushed for moves that would end it as millions are bound to go on eating sprees this Holiday season.

Citing the plight of the impoverish groups in the country, the city councilors urged action that would at least reduce food waste the whole year-round.

They stressed that reducing food loss at the dining table that are usually caused by “false hunger’’ (takaw tingin) should be avoided not only to reduce food wastage but also to protect the ecosystem.

The councilors agreed that the public should be environmentallyresponsible citizens and should be conscious on cutting down food wastes as billions of people around the world are suffering from extreme hunger, starvation and famine.

“Every grain of rice should be consumed in the plate since each piece adds up to millions of tons of wasted rice yearly,’’ Ferrer said.

Ferrer added that it may be wise for the city government to hire nutritionists and food waste experts who will educate the households at the barangay level to cut down on food waste.

“This would help educate barangay officials in providing massive information on ways on how to cut down on food wastes,’’ he added.

Food experts said that it would be wise for the parents to check their refrigerators and look for the items that should be consumed first before going to the market stalls or supermarkets.

It will also be wise to mix and match food items in the menu plan to entice the children to eat healthy and finish their meals regularly.