Food Dialogues
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I recently heard on NPR, a food expert state that there is more than enough food in the world to feed the world's population but, huge percentages are lost in transport or even at the grocery store due to spoilage. Is this concern being taken seriously and there ongoing efforts across the board to reduce this very serious problem?
Author: ConsumerT
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Topic: Other
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The simple answer to your question is - Yes, there is probably enough food produced to feed the world's population. Actually, the info from the FAO says that food production is increasing faster than the population. That said, why does the UN FAO report that there are about 17,000 children dying daily from starvation? In the developed nations, where we have adequate food storage and transportation infrastructure the percent of food lost is not too bad. But, nobody in the food production/sales chain wants to lose product since that also means dollar losses too. However, in many parts of the world neither adequate food storage nor transportation infrastructure exist. However, there is an even more fundamental problem: farmers all over the world sell their excess product to make money. They won't be sending food to people who are broke. It is only the developed nations, like the US, that have the excess to give away to those who need it.
There certainly is a certain amount of product lost (also known as shrink) to shipping, spoilage etc. However, for what food is produced to feel the world, we'd have to have adequate infrastructure in place to make certain it can actually get to all those who need it. Many developing and post war countries have issues to contend with regarding their infrastructure. That and dealing with governments who take food for feeding the wealthy rather than the poor. This issue is much larger than just shrink in shipping or handling.
I would need to see the "real" numbers on that statement. Though I don't doubt the waste lost in transport or the grocery store. I doubt it being able to feed the "world". It's not like the grocery stores get the food for free so would they continue to throw money away? Are not transportation companies held to any accountability? Waste of any form is terrible but so much of it in the US to feed the world? Big statement!