One third of global food production wasted annually - GNBS

One third of global food production wasted annually – GNBS

Jun 05, 2013 News

Under the theme “Think. Eat. Save. Reduce your foodprint” World Environment Day (WED) is celebrated each year globally on June 05 to create awareness of environmental issues and encourage action from all levels of stakeholders and interested parties, and the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) will be joining with all stakeholders in commemorating the event.
According to a statement from the entity, this year’s theme for WED seems so relevant because it “gives focus to the ways we produce and utilize food around the world. Whether persons eat to live or live to eat, in many areas along the chain, food is being wasted”.
“For many of us, the wastage of food occurs daily as we fail to buy only the amount we can consume in a particular time. Disposal as waste often seems like a better option rather than to give surplus food to the needy. Where possible, buying locally produced fresh foods and even growing our own vegetables and fruits at home can have a positive impact on the environment. It reduces the need for energy required to process, package, store and transport food and it prevents wastage since it gives us the privilege of harvesting just what we are able to consume in a particular time,” the Bureau underscored.
“We can all improvise to reduce food wastage which ultimately reduces our foodprint. Good food does not have to find a place in garbage or compost pits.”
Adding that the time has come for persons to change their attitudes, the GNBS stated that persons should think of better food conservation methods, and make informed decisions that would purposefully cause society to select foods that have reduced environmental impact, such as organic foods that do not use chemicals in the production process.
It was further noted that choosing to buy locally can also mean that foods are not flown halfway across the world and therefore, limit emissions.
GNBS explained that a survey conducted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) indicated that 1.3 billion tonnes of food, which represents about one third of the global food production, is either wasted or lost annually, which is equivalent to the same amount produced in the whole of sub-Saharan Africa.
“Imagine we live in a world of plenty where food outstrips demand, yet one in every seven persons in the world goes to bed without food and over 20,000 children under the age of five die daily from starvation because of the huge imbalance in lifestyles.”
“The Guyana National Bureau of Standards like many standards institutions, worldwide, believes that the solution to many global crises, such as those we face in relation to food is the implementation of international standards.
International standards are powerful tools that lead to positive change by detailing specifications that can open up global markets, create enabling business environments, spur economic growth and help mitigate and adapt to changes in this competitive environment. International standards represent the consensus view of the world’s leading experts in industry sectors ranging from energy utilities and energy efficiency to transportation, management systems, climate change, healthcare, safety, information and communication technology (ICT), food safety and security.
Standards are also applied as tools to help reduce climate change by improving energy efficiency and decreasing food waste and greenhouse gas emissions.”
GNBS further stated that standards share best practices in renewable energy generation, provide cutting-edge requirements and processes for waste disposal and recycling, and tools to enhance efficiency and environmental sustainability across all industrial sectors.
“These benefits are ultimately passed on to the consumer in the form of greater choice, increased quality and lower prices. As the saying goes ‘better late than never’ – the time to make a positive change is now, it is time that mankind desperately starts performing the task to reduce the disaster risk and save the environment, otherwise, the outcome would be dire.
“We all need to think and be mindful of our food consumption pattern, we all need to eat and we all need to save food, so think before you eat and help save our environment.”

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One third of global food production wasted annually – GNBS

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