New Delhi: Minister of State for Agriculture Shobha Karandlaje on Monday (October 30), pitched for using technologies of developed and developing nations to address the problem of global food wastage estimated at 3 billion tonnes. Addressing the international workshop on food loss and waste prevention in the South Asian region, the minister said social organizations need to play a vital role in spreading awareness among various stakeholders and also should practice the methods to minimise food wastage.
She said, South Asia is a major producer and consumer of food and it is both moral responsibility and economic necessity to reduce the food loss and wastage, according to an official statement.
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Food wastage is not only a direct loss to the consumers but also has bearings on the environment and supporting economies, she added.
Minister Karandlaji called for identifying the primary reasons of food loss and waste; focus on education and awareness among all the stakeholders; efficient harvest and storage; smart distribution; industry involvement; donation and food banks; innovation in food packaging, etc.
Germany-based Thunen Institute Research Director Stefan Lange said mitigating and preventing food loss and food waste is the biggest and most effective lever to ensure that food reaches the needy.
She further informed that a “collaboration initiative on food losses and food wastes” has been functioning to promote the global exchange of research results and practical experience in fighting food losses and waste. She added,
The government of India can play a vital role in influencing all neighbouring countries in initiating individual as well as collaborative efforts to curb food loss and waste.
Clementine O’Connor of the United Nations Environment Programme, pointed out that pandemic, climate change and wars also have serious bearing on food loss and wastage.
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(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – theLGBTQ population,indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In wake of the currentCOVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water,SanitationandHygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fightmalnutrition, mental wellbeing, self care, science and health,adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues likeair pollution,waste management,plastic ban,manual scavengingand sanitation workers andmenstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India wheretoiletsare used andopen defecation free (ODF)status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched byPrime Minister Narendra Modiin 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.
