About one-third of all the food produced globally each year is not consumed. A lot of it is either lost in developing countries, resulting from poor storage facilities or crops rotting before they can be sold and passed onto consumers; or, in developed countries where supermarkets or consumers discard food before it is consumed or crosses expiration date. A quantity of food equivalent to the entire food production of Sub-Saharan Africa is just thrown away each year, while millions around the world die of hunger. Readers debate if food donation can combat food wastage and if food banks are an easy solution to feeding the hungry.
While food banks might be a great idea, it is difficult to initiate such an organisation considering the costs, labour and storage of perishable food items. How safe the food will be while being delivered to the needy is also a concern depending on a country’s weather conditions. Not all that is grown globally is consumed, as about one third of food production in the world gets wasted. In this scenario, if this wastage is reduced at both micro and macro level, that is at personal and state level, there may be millions currently living in extreme hunger and deprivation who can be fed. If calculated consumption and redistribution of food is done, then we can achieve 100 per cent reduction in extreme poverty and hunger as against the first United Nation’s Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of 50 per cent reduction, which was claimed to have been achieved. We have sufficient food production in the world, if not surplus, to achieve this target of 100 per cent. What is needed is redistributing that food to places with less food availability. Professor Amartya Sen, an Indian Nobel laureate in economics has worked extensively in the fields of poverty and famines. He argues that, during famines, it’s not the scarcity of food supply that causes hunger and death, but the irregularities in the distribution of food, which makes food prices soar during famine years and causes widespread hunger and deprivation of poor people.
Not thinking of food wastage to be a problem and instead viewing it to be a ray of hope for millions of people who are still sleeping on empty stomachs in many underdeveloped countries can be a great motivation. Only what is needed is certain decisions from the stakeholders, farmers and food business operators for their farms and factories and for us as the consumers, from our fridges and our own plates.
From Mr Harsh Wardhan
Consultant at the Office of the Economic Advisor, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India
Since recession has struck many people around the world, the number only increasing by the minute, it is safe to say that there are a lot more people on the breadline today than a few decades ago. People have lost jobs, their pay has been cut and the benefits system has not been as generous. Naturally, there are a higher number of people that feel their household food budget is under strain. It is an intelligent approach to counter hunger with wastage that becomes useful, but there will always be people who don’t get enough to eat, regardless of the state of the economy. However, we must also keep in mind that the number of food banks back then were significantly lower; now there are more than 400, new ones opening almost every week. This reflects the increasing demand in the need for food banks and the need for the donation of food from the table of the rich. The equation really is simple: food poverty can cancel out food waste. All that’s needed is to match the need with the surplus. However, it’s easier to talk the talk than walk the walk. Considering that the nobility of food banks around the world are becoming politicised, we need to remember the original purpose of these organizations. That being said, it is wise to give food that you would otherwise waste. Even Tesco in the UK has been generous and sponsored a national neighbourhood food collection run in conjunction with Trussell Trust, which is the leading charity that is in charge of the food banks in the UK. That can only mean one thing; that the food banks are making a positive difference and that they are important.
As they say, “If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one”, and this is a great way to start.
From Ms Simran Sampat
Medical student based in Hungary, Europe
Mother Teresa once said, “When a poor person dies of hunger, it has not happened because God did not take care of him or her. It has happened because neither you nor I wanted to give that person what he or she needed.” According to the World Food Program, approximately 795 million people around the world don’t have enough to eat. To help combat this crisis, several communities around the globe have set up food banks to distribute food to the needy. Food banks provide a necessary and life-saving service within the communities they operate. Hunger knows no discrimination and is a challenge for both rich and poor nations.
I attended some presentations about food banks and their services and realized that distributing food isn’t simply about alleviating hunger, it’s about giving people hope. That meal could be what helps a young child concentrate on school work because he or she isn’t hungry, or the relief a young mother feels when she doesn’t have to choose between feeding her family or paying the rent, or the homeless man who has his hunger abated. Corporations are also becoming involved by distributing perfectly edible food that would otherwise go to waste, to food banks, thus helping alleviate hunger and reduce food wastage. While food banks may not hold the key to global hunger, their existence is crucial which serves as a daily reminder that meaningful collaboration between communities, policy makers and organizations can make global hunger a thing of the past.
From Ms Sarah Iqbal-Khan
Strategist based in Toronto, Canada.
We often talk about poverty and who to blame for it, yet, on a daily basis, we waste huge amounts of food that could be enough to feed a family. Of course, it is better to donate the food that would otherwise go to waste but it is one thing saying it, than actually doing it. We are good at recognising problems but when it comes to actually solving them, we prefer to waste time at blaming each other than actually taking steps to find a solution. I agree that it is not possible to start food banks due to the logistics involved and that the effort has to start at a personal level. For example, if I start donating excess food from our dinner or give away food that is about to expire, and I know will not be consumed in our household, tomorrow, my neighbour might notice and start doing the same. If enough awareness is raised, more people could join and do the same. Essentially, change needs to start with us and in our household before expecting virality. If we can take a stand against this issue as citizens of the world, then most certainly our global leaders can address it on a larger scale. Personally, I believe in small changes, and with that in mind, I think that starting on a personal level is of more importance than looking at food banks. We need to be aware of how donating food will solve the bigger issue that food wastage is, it will reduce landfill waste. We need to be convinced of our own actions first and then see how they make a difference in society before we move on to look at the big picture.
From Mr Salah Al Marzouqi
Student based in Brisbane, Australia
Yes, I support the idea of donating food to those who suffer from hunger. But when one talks about donating food that would otherwise be wasted, one should ensure that it is not left-overs. It’s important to know that the people receiving this food is also a human being regardless of their poverty. The concept of donation should be about giving what you love rather than what you have or would waste. As long as food is packaged well and fits all hygienic and nutrition criteria, donating it should be fine. A good idea before deciding what to donate is to make sure to always ask yourself before donating food: “If needed, will I be willing to eat this food”? If the answer is yes then it is appropriate to donate it right away. Food is fuel, it has to contain the right amount of nutrition, especially with respect to people who can’t eat meat for various reasons. Donating food should come with an intention to make the world a better place by helping people in need. To do so, one must examine the food going out to the many people suffering from hunger. Hygiene and storage should be given utmost importance when it comes to food banks.
From Ms Hazel Ali Hayek
Social work student at Massey University, New Zealand
