India’s Food Waste Paradox

Syllabus: GS3/Economy/ Agriculture/ Environment,  GS2/ Social Justice

Context

• According to the United Nations Environment Programme, India wastes 78–80 million tonnes of food annually, valued at ₹1.55 lakh crore, making it the second-largest food waste globally.

Status of food wastage in India

• As per UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2024, the estimated food wastage in India in 2022 is 55 kg/capita/year in India, lower than the global average of 79 kg/capita/year.
• Concern: India ranks 102 out of 123 countries in the Global Hunger Index 2025.
  • Around 12% of India’s population is undernourished, which is approximately ~170–175 million people.
• Globally 1.05 billion tonnes of food is wasted each year. Around 60% of food waste occurs at the household level, followed by food services (28%) and retail (12%).

Key Drivers of Food Waste in India

• Post-Harvest Losses: Lack of scientific storage, grading, and packaging leads to significant losses.
• Storage Infrastructure: The absence of sufficient modern storage facilities leads to spoilage of food grains stored in traditional warehouses.
• Supply Chain Inefficiencies: Inefficient logistics, multiple intermediaries, and delays in transportation contribute significantly to food spoilage.
  • The absence of integrated supply chains leads to mismatches between supply and demand.
• Social Practices: Food wastage at weddings, social gatherings, and households is driven by over-preparation and lack of awareness.

Government Initiatives to Reduce Food Waste

• Food Security and Distribution: The Public Distribution System ensures the distribution of subsidised food grains to vulnerable populations.
  • The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana has expanded food access during times of crisis and economic distress.
• Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF): Provides medium-to-long-term debt financing for post-harvest management projects, including warehouses, silos, and cold storage.
• The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana aimed at creating modern infrastructure for food processing and preservation.
  • Mega Food Parks: Clusters that link agricultural production to markets through high-tech supply chains.
  • Integrated Cold Chain: Providing preservation facilities like refrigerated transport and cold storage to reduce spoilage of perishables.
  • Operation Greens: Focused on stabilizing the supply and reducing waste of crops like Tomato, Onion, and Potato (TOP).
• Market Reforms: The e-NAM facilitates better price discovery and reduces inefficiencies in agricultural markets.

Key Challenges in Reducing Food Waste

• India lacks a comprehensive national database to track food waste across sectors.
• The cold chain infrastructure remains inadequate, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas.
• There is no strong legal framework mandating the redistribution of surplus food.
• Behavioral and cultural factors continue to encourage food wastage in social settings.

Global Best Practices

Way Ahead

• Food waste in India highlights systemic inefficiencies in production, distribution, and consumption, even as hunger persists. 
• Addressing this issue is essential for improving food security, resource efficiency, and sustainability. 
• It is also critical for achieving SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), making food waste reduction a key developmental priority.

Source: TH