The variety of food on the supermarket shelves make today’s world “chooser-friendly”. When I want to buy tomatoes, for example, I’m always looking for the perfect ones (shiny, round, dark red, with the green leaves on top). As consumers, we have a right to choose what to eat or buy and where to buy. We even have a right to judge by appearance. But how does our preference and “pickiness” affect producers and food systems? Do we need to be concerned about our behaviour?
Food loss and waste
Food loss is defined as a decrease in quantity or quality of food that is produced for human consumption. It is the food that does not reach the market from producers. It mostly occurs in the production stage of the supply chain. Farmers’ low productivity, lack of storage, transportation and other limitations related to market systems, affect the food loss in the world.
Food waste on the other hand, is an intentional discharge of items that are consumable and is caused mainly by consumer negligence and behaviour. Despite the quality, food is being wasted based on individual’s preferences and choices.
Read the full post on the CFS blog here.
Blogpost by Anudari Enkhtur, #CFS43 Social Reporter – e.anudari(at)yahoo.com
This post is part of the live coverage during the 43rd Session of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS), a project GFAR is running in collaboration with CFS. Anudari Enkhtur is one of five YPARD members who was fully sponsored by GFAR to participate in the GFAR social media bootcamp and to attend CFS as a social reporter from 17-21 October 2016.
The post represents the author’s views only.
Photo Credit: Matt Preston on Flickr
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