A food waste crisis
Food waste is one of the most pressing environmental, social and political problems facing the globe today. 1.03 billion tonnes of food waste are generated globally every year, valued at $2.6 trillion USD, and sufficient to feed the world's 815 million hungry four times over.
Of particular concern in this food waste epidemic: countries in South-Asia with warm climates and insufficient infrastructure to handle the vast amount of wasted food generated daily. A study performed by the Future Directions International (FDI), a non-profit institute, found that South and Southeast Asia accounts for 25% of the globe's food waste.
Why Is Food Waste So Prevalent In Southeast Asia?
In certain ways, the reasons for food wastage in Southeast Asia are the same as those in North America. The market is the market, and companies the world over play by the same rules: consumers' high standards for the outward appearance of their food means that a lot of "ugly food" that is otherwise perfectly edible is wasted needlessly.
However, there are some notable differences in Southeast Asia's supply chain and food system infrastructure that make food waste particularly prevalent in this region. While post-consumer losses are still considerable in higher-income (urban) areas in Southeast Asia, lower-income (rural) areas suffer a majority of losses before products even reach supermarket shelves.
A Challenging Time & Place for Farmers
Food waste occurs at all stages of the food system's supply chain: from field, to fork. While post-consumer waste accounts for 47% of all food wastage globally, food loss (that which occurs before food reaches the point of sale) is equally critical. Southeast Asia is particularly vulnerable to food loss
Insufficient Cold Storage
Many lower-income regions in Southeast Asia do not have sufficient infrastructure to support the mass transportation and storage of food. In some impoverished rural areas, food is not transported by refrigerated vans: perishable items such as dairy, fish, meat, produce and fruit are often lost while on the road.
The amount of fruit and vegetables wasted annually as a result of insufficient cold storage in India is equivalent in value to $6.2 billion (USD)
