“Ghana’s Alarming Food Waste: A Threat to Food Security”
"Ghana's Alarming Food Waste: A Threat to Food Security"
“Ghana’s Alarming Food Waste: A Threat to Food Security”
Communication initiatives for change has organized a program which is about meatless Monday. Meatless Monday is a public health initiative that seeks to reduce the incident of some preventable disease by dedicating every Monday to healthy eating.
Avoiding meat consumption at least one day a week has become a proven practice Ghanaians can adopt.
Ghana is losing a staggering amount of food, with an estimated 920 million tons of food going to waste, valued at approximately $1 trillion.
According to Professor Marian Asantewah Nkansah, a significant portion of this waste comes from households and food services, with 60% of the total food loss attributed to households.
Ghana’s food waste is estimated at 3.2 million metric tons, with a monetary equivalent of billions of dollars. Ghana’s per capita food waste is higher than the global average, with 84 kilograms per year per capita compared to the global average of 74 kilograms.
A study estimates that 3.6 million Ghanaians will be food insecure by 2029, highlighting the need for urgent action. In Ghana, food loss occurs mostly at the point of production and processing due to limited technology.
In contrast, developed countries experience food waste mostly at the point of consumption due to their ability to afford more food.
Impact on Food Security
The alarming rate of food waste in Ghana poses a significant threat to food security, with implications for the country’s ability to feed its population. Efforts to reduce food waste and promote sustainable food consumption patterns are essential to addressing this challenge.
Story by Fada Amakye from Daily Sun news paper
