Food Waste Index Report 2021 shows 931 million tonnes of food were wasted globally in 2019: UNEP

The Food Waste Index Report 2021 was released by the Nairobi-based United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) on March 04, 2021.
The report has been produced jointly by the UNEP and WRAP, with the aim to encourage countries to cut the food waste to half by 2030.
The report is based on the data for the year 2019 and presents the most comprehensive food waste data collection, analysis and modelling to date.
It presents a methodology for countries to measure food waste, at household, food service and retail level, in order to track national progress towards 2030 and to report on SDG 12.3. C

Key Findings of the Report

The report estimates that around 931 million tonnes of food waste was generated in 2019.
Out of the total food wastage, 61 percent came from households, 26 percent from food service and 13 percent from retail.
This means that around 17 percent of total global food production was wasted.
The wastage of food systems in return have impacts on climate, nature and pollution are generated needlessly.
About 690 million people went hungry in 2019 while some three billion were unable to afford a healthy diet.
In India, the household food waste is about 68.7 million tonnes a year, which is 50 kg per capita per year.
The report suggests that reducing food waste would cut greenhouse gas emissions, slow the destruction of nature through land conversion and pollution, enhance the availability of food and thus reduce hunger and save money at a time of global recession.

Source: UNEP