Food waste and the crisis of hunger

Millions of people continue to go hungry despite massive amounts of food being wasted worldwide. The problem is not the lack of food, but rather how it is grown, handled, and distributed. Currently, about one-third of all food produced globally is lost or wasted. This means that while billions of meals are discarded every day, nearly 800 million people still suffer from hunger.
Food waste occurs differently across regions. In wealthier countries, much of it happens at the consumer level-people buy more than they need, cook excessive portions, or throw away food that appears imperfect or is past its expiry date. Restaurants and stores also waste large quantities by overstocking or discarding food that fails to meet aesthetic standards. In poorer nations, waste occurs earlier in the supply chain, during harvesting, storage, or transport, often due to inadequate infrastructure, technology, and preservation methods.
Hunger itself is more complex than food availability. Poverty, conflict, and limited access to markets often prevent people from getting the food they need. In some cases, fertile land is used to grow export crops instead of food for local communities, driving up costs for those already struggling. Climate change compounds the problem by damaging farmland and reducing yields.
Food waste also harm the environment. Rotting food in landfills produces methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, while wasted production consumes vast amounts of water, energy, and land, straining natural resources.
Reducing food waste will not end hunger on its own, but it is an essential step. Cutting waste would make more food available, ease pressure on the environment, and help distribute resources more fairly. Farmers, businesses, and consumers alike have a role to play by using food more wisely and wasting less.
Anindita Debnath Arpa
Student
SBE, North South University
anindita.arpa@northsouth.edu