Indian households generate a staggering 78.2 million tonnes of food waste each year, according to the Food Waste Index Report 2024. When waste ends up in landfills, it decomposes and releases greenhouse gases. Food losses and food waste account for 8% to 10% of the annual global greenhouse gas emissions, contributing significantly to global warming and climate change. Since much of this food waste is generated in homes (60%), food services (28%) and retail outlets (12%), there is an opportunity to manage and reduce food waste at these sources. This requires targeted strategies, starting with defining the problem and identifying solutions.

Understanding Food Recovery Solutions

The Food Recovery Hierarchy shared by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2023, recommends that the way to handle food waste is prevention, followed by recovery and responsible disposal. The most effective solution is also the simplest — avoid generating food waste in the first place. Planning meals, buying only what’s needed and cooking mindfully can drastically cut waste at the source. Surplus or extra food, whether it be from events or restaurants, perishes over time and should be therefore recovered while it is still fit for human consumption. The next best use is to feed it to animals, followed by converting it into biogas or managing it by composting. Dumping food waste in landfills or incinerating it is best avoided as the former releases methane — a potent greenhouse gas — and the latter contributes to air pollution.

Why Reducing Food Waste at the Source is Crucial

Reducing waste at source can curb greenhouse gas emissions, conserve natural resources, and reduce the burden on treatment and disposal practices. It also offers economic benefits as consumers save money through responsible consumption while the city has to spend less on food waste management, which includes collection, transport, and disposal or landfill tipping charges. Reducing food waste can also help build a more sustainable food system for all.

Leveraging Behavior Change to Reduce Food Waste

Poor food management and consumer behavior have been noted as key reasons behind food waste in the article, “The Global Benefits of Reducing Food Loss and Waste.” Addressing these causal factors requires a shift not just in habits but in mindsets, particularly around purchasing, cooking and storing food.

Fortunately, many cultural practices in India already support these values. In most homes, attitudes toward food used to be characterized by reverence and a sense of gratitude, however, this has changed over time. Surplus food used to be shared, reused or creatively repurposed. For example, leftover rice becomes lemon rice or tomato rice; chapatis turn into upma or sandwiches; and dal is reused in parathas. These practices demonstrate how the creativity of Indian kitchens can help ensure that food is not wasted. The continuity and integration of these time-tested practices alongside modern efforts can prove crucial in ensuring the sustainability of our food systems. 

Many food service providers in India are also working to reduce food waste at source. As observed during a city-level dialogue organized by WRI India in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, food service providers are deploying diverse strategies like staff-served meals instead of self-served meals, increasing the buffet plate sizes, encouraging takeaway of leftover food, reducing the number of dustbins and partnering with food redistribution networks. Some are also using data-driven waste tracking programs to monitor and cut down food waste at the consumer level.

On the policy front, the draft Solid Waste Management Rules, 2024 by India’s Environment Ministry rightly mandates source segregation. Policies must also seek to reduce food waste at source as it is a more efficient way of tackling the issue. Developing a consistent definition of food waste is the first step, as it allows better tracking and more targeted action. In the absence of a clear and consistent definition of food waste, measuring, monitoring and developing reduction strategies become even more challenging.

The government must also introduce incentives for the adoption of waste reduction practices and encourage food waste management locally through composting or biogas plants, across residential and commercial sources. This will eliminate any possibility of mixed waste and reduce the need for transport and processing in centralized facilities. Providing technical support and awareness to communities is vital to ensure a transition toward better food waste management.

Everyone Must Play a Role

Reducing food waste is a collective responsibility. A supportive policy environment is a critical lever for enabling action on food waste reduction, as seen in the cities of Indore and Pune, where city municipal corporations have committed to reduce city-level food loss and food waste. However, lasting change requires collaborative efforts and actions by everyone – most importantly, food businesses and citizens. Simple actions like mindful shopping and consumption, portion control, storing food properly, dining without leaving leftovers, and sharing surplus food can make a big difference.

Reducing food waste is not just about managing leftovers. It’s about rethinking how we value food. Transforming our approach to food can not only benefit the planet and its people but is also crucial for creating a more sustainable and resilient food system.

Watch the video to learn more about the issue of food waste in India.

Harshad Barde is the Director of SWaCH, Pune. Jwalant Shah is Co-Founder & Director of Technology & Projects with SWAAHA, Indore.