Waste not, Want not

According to UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimated global food loss and wastage is at 1.3 billion tonnes a year. Whereas, very few and only a part of post harvest loss are found to have analysed or studied in Nepal. IRIN news highlights that, the amount of food wasted is shared almost equally between industrialized and developing countries. But while developing country losses are largely the result of pests, diseases, poor storage and inadequate transport for agricultural produce, in richer countries, perfectly edible food is rejected by retailers or thrown away as household waste.

In Developing Countries like Nepal, Agriculture sector is doing good, however, we are importing more food and we are demanding more food aid. The creeping rate of agricultural growth never can meet the running rate of food demand, if we let it go as such. There are hundreds of improvements we need and thousands of techniques in front, but,  one of the easiest remedy lies on  Management of losses, which we are ignoring till the date.  Three types of losses, field level loss ( at growing stage), Post harvest loss ( at harvesting to storage)and consumption level loss ( at food preparation to consumption) if managed properly, large amount of food can be saved from loss, ultimately for our sufficiency in food. Food waste at production level is due to inadequacy in available resources, technologies and investment whereas waste at consumption level is due to people's affordability to waste the food.

According to the Post Harvest Management Directorate of Nepal, post harvest studies conducted in Nepal shows, there is a loss of 25 percent in vegetables, 20 percent in fruits and 32 percent in potatoes and its seeds. So, we have lot of scope to reduce the amount of food departing without consumption. If this amount could be reduced by a  extent , we don't  need to import food or get food aid from other countries or donors. To save is equal to Produce.  Therefore, WASTE NOT, WANT NOT.