The awful shame of wasted food

Thais generated 27 million tonnes of waste last year, and more than 60 per cent of it was foodstuffs. That fact is a terrible shame, given the fact that one in eight people around the world suffer from malnutrition.
From 2014 to 2016, 795 million of the 7.3 billion people on the planet suffered from chronic under-nourishment, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation. Almost all of those hungry people – 780 million – were living in developing countries. That represents 12.9 per cent, or one in eight of the developing counties’ populations.
Several thousand tonnes of food are wasted each day in Thailand. Each of us shares in the blame, since much of the waste extend from our own refrigerators. Surplus food items are routinely left to expire or rot in our fridges at home. 
In addition to individuals, businesses all over the country – large and small – contribute to food waste. These range from food courts and restaurants to hotels and supermarkets. Those businesses mainly deal with food distribution and related services, and they always have surplus food that would remain suitable for human consumption. It’s a shame to let all that food be thrown away when it could help satisfy the hunger of so many people in need.
The good news is that many businesses in Thailand participate in various projects to deliver surplus food – which would otherwise end up being animal feed or be shipped to a dumpsite – to people who cannot afford enough food to eat. 
These projects – set up mainly by local and overseas-based charities and non-governmental organisations – select good-quality food items from donor businesses and deliver them to the needy through different organisations such as orphanages, shelters for the homeless and rescue foundations. The items include cooked meals, fruits and baked goods. 
However, in addition to such kindness to the needy, the general public, and particularly children, should be better educated about the problem of food waste. Youngsters should be taught in school and at home to avoid contributing to the waste. Parents and teachers have to set good examples for the younger members of society. In the past, elder family members reminded children to eat all the food in their dish, because it took a lot of efforts to produce that rice and other nourishment. But as Thailand has become more affluent, such a reminder begins to feel outdated.
It costs a lot of energy, money and labour to produce, cook and transport foods – not to mention the impacts from greenhouse gas emitted in the processing. It’s a travesty that all of this is routinely wasted and damage being caused when the food itself is forgotten. 
People should not stock up on too much food, particularly items that go bad quickly. Businesses that involve food distribution and related services have to be more careful planning about their stockpiling. This way, they can help reduce surplus food and, as a result, save costs.
If individuals and businesses can manage food waste more efficiently by curbing the surplus at the lowest level possible, they could in the end help the national – and even the global – economy to develop in a more sustainable and comprehensive way.