One-third of all food produced globally by weight is lost or wasted between farm and dining table. At the same time, one in 10 people globally remain malnourished.
The food waste mindset must be addressed urgently as the scale of food loss and waste harms not only human health and nutrition but also the economy and the environment.
Food loss and food waste are often discussed in the same sentence. But these terms encompass different issues throughout the food system.
Food loss refers to loss in the supply chain, for example, during harvesting or transportation. Food waste occurs at the retail level, in hospitality and households.
It is encouraging that suppliers and consumers of food products are beginning to address food loss and waste more effectively.
A new digital platform, tarmix.gov.mt, has been launched to help reduce food waste in Malta by connecting businesses with surplus food to voluntary organisations in need.
Any business or food supplier with near-expired surplus food can participate, including food retailers, supermarkets, wholesalers and manufacturers.
The government will be offering financial incentives to support this initiative.
There are different causes for food loss and waste. Inadequate technology, sub-optimal packing and poor food management processes are common.
However, consumer behaviour is arguably the most significant factor leading to so much food ending up in landfills rather than feeding people.
Households account for most food wasted at the consumer and retail level. This often results from a lack of awareness of the scale of the issue and insufficient education about adequately using and storing food at home.
Concerns about possible risks of eating food past its best-by or use-by date label are understandable but often exaggerated. Of course, food safety laws must be followed but many businesses have found safe and effective ways to donate food nearing its use-by date.
Some restaurants work with charities to ensure that good food does not end up in the trash but is given to people who need it. More businesses must adopt this good practice.
Everyone has a vital role in addressing this issue. Households can reduce food waste by focusing on smart shopping and food storage.
Simple strategies may include writing a shopping list; planning meals so that, when you go shopping, you know what and how much you need; understanding the difference between use-by and best-by date labels; making sure your fridge is set to the optimal temperature; and understanding how best to store different foods and making the most of your freezer for leftovers.
Many can relate to incidents where they ordered a meal in a restaurant but struggled to finish it.
Large portion sizes often lead to more wasted food.
Other ways to reduce food waste in restaurants include sharing plates or offering half-size meals. These tactics will go a long way in winning the fight against food waste.
While offering financial incentives to businesses to donate food to charities is a positive step, the government must go further as the fight against food waste must be waged on different fronts.
Policymakers can reduce food loss and waste through educational programmes, anti-waste policies and more financial incentives.
There is an urgent need to embed food loss awareness, technical assistance and financial incentives to discourage food loss and waste in the supply chain.
Ultimately, every small step counts.