Food waste and hunger are problems around the world, including the Philippines.
A Food Consumption Survey of the Department of Science and Technology–Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI) states: 1,717 metric tons of food are wasted every day in the Philippines.
Every Filipino wastes one tablespoon or 14 grams of rice every day, accounting for ₱23 million a day worth of wasted rice a day, according to the WWF Philippines website.
Last week, a study conducted by the DOST-FNRI showed that rice, vegetables and meat are the top three most wasted food. The study is titled “Does plate waste matter: A two-stage cluster survey to assess the household plate waste in the Philippines.” Plate waste is the edible portions of food which are left after a household has finished a meal.
The Philippines was ranked 69 of 119 countries with a serious level of hunger incidence by the Global Hunger Index of 2018.
About 11.8 percent of Filipino families, or an estimated three million households, experienced hunger in the fourth quarter of 2022, according to the results of the Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey released in January 2023.
The DOST-FNRI study reveals many uncomfortable truths about the factors that cause food waste in the country with a poverty incidence of 18.1 percent or around 19.99 million Filipinos. (Philippine Statistics Authority, 2021).
Although these are obvious factors, it’s worth reading them again: Larger meal portion size, a greater number of household members, and higher wealth status lead to food waste.
There is more food wasted in households with five or more members; smaller households are more efficient in consuming food. Rice wastage is more common in households with a head of 50 to 69 year old compared to those with a younger household head.
The initiative to reduce food waste starts at home. WWF Philippines lists ways to do that:
• Buy “ugly produce” or oddly-shaped produce, which are just as nutritious; those will end up in the thrash if not purchased.
• Plan your meals and create a shopping list to avoid buying what is not needed that will be thrown away. Practice FIFO (first in, first out) to avoid food spoilage.
• Know your family’s serving size to reduce what you throw away after a meal.
• Cook leftovers, transforming them into another dish.
• Share excess food; avoid stashing them in the ref only to be thrown days later after it becomes spoiled food.
Meanwhile, Senator Loren Legarda has filed Senate Bill 240 or the Zero Food Waste Act of 2022, aiming to adopt a system that promotes food waste reduction through redistribution and recycling. “The measure also seeks to task specific government agencies to undertake the National Zero Food Waste Campaign and raise awareness of these issues and construct a Food-related Business Waste Reduction Strategy and a Household and Local Government Unit Waste Reduction Strategy.”
“Millions of Filipinos under poverty and experiencing food insecurity are struggling to be fed, and the food that is simply thrown away or discarded might actually be enough to feed them,” Dr. Imelda Angeles Agdeppa, lead researcher, Director IV and Scientist IV of DOST-FNRI, said.
The top three food wasted – rice, vegetables and meat – can become real meals for the hungry.
Today, do your share in reducing food waste. Check what you have at home before buying new food stuff.