Food losses are substantial, and some are recoverable.
One small developing country measured losses to market of fruits and vegetables between 23 and 28%. This translated to 547 to 666,000 tons. They could recover 475,000 tons with simple technology (That’s almost 5.5 tons per second!). This is sufficient food to feed 1.6 million people for a year. Similar opportunities exist in both developed and developing countries (but harder to find in the former).
How is this possible?
Food is lost by crushing, bruising, insects, rodents, birds, oxidation, spoilage, and many other ways. These losses are often larger than thought for many (some good) reasons. One simple example is shipment of lettuce from California to New York. At each transfer, the outside browned leaves are removed. New York receives the same number of heads, but perhaps only half of the lettuce.
What can be done?
Critically observe what happens to food.
Stop tolerating “small” wastes – they add up.
Find out what countries have done to reduce wastes.
Share knowledge and technologies.
Why is it not being done?
Losses are underestimated. Many small losses. Carriers may not report small losses.
Most efforts to reduce hunger concentrate on agricultural production not distribution.
Food distribution is complex with many different steps (warehouse, processing, transportation, etc.)
Won't feeding people just promote population explosion?
NO! Families do desire to maintain the family name through offspring, and high mortality results in increased offspring to assure that continuance. Historically, societies with sufficient food move towards less offspring. US has the most efficient food supply in the world, and population growth is approximately 1%. Adequate food leads to LOWER population growth.
WISSH is attempting to do these steps in an organized, global program
- Global plan (Project BEFRIEND)