We're wasting 40 per cent of our food FAO
Business
By
Amos Kiarie
| May 25, 2024
As the country seeks to address food security, Kenyan homes are wasting up to 5,217,367 tonnes of food each year, which equates to 99 kilogrammes of food waste per household.
In the 2023 Global Hunger Index, Kenya is at the 90th position out of 125 countries with available data for calculating the 2023 GHI scores. With a score of 22, Kenya's hunger level is classified as serious and about 27.8 per cent of Kenya population suffer from inadequate access to food.
According to a report by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), 40 per cent of all food produced in Kenya goes to waste, which translates to a 10 million metric tonnes of food wasted annually.
"One of the primary forms of food waste in the Kenyan context is post-harvest losses, with an estimated 25 per cent of food produced in the country lost between harvest and market due to inadequate storage facilities, lack of infrastructure, and poor handling practices, the loss occurs across various agricultural sectors, including fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy, and livestock," the report states.
READ MORE
Kisumu, Nairobi among worst users of development funds
Why KQ has canceled its Cape Town return flight
Curriculum delivery is a marathon, not a sprint
Recipe for rigging: Battle looms over plan to scrap IEBC's livestreaming of election results
Why Ruto rejected Public Procurement (Amendment) Bill, 2024
Kenya shines at Zone Individual Chess Championship in Ethiopia
Police-linked brutality victims in court, claim opaque compensation process
Safe but scared...: Tales of Mathare floods survivors
The FAO report further shows that Kenyan households discard an estimated 15 per cent of their food purchases, with inadequate meal planning, improper storage, and lack of awareness about food preservation techniques being major factors.
Food waste in Kenya has far-reaching implications such as environmental impact. The decomposing food also produces methane gas, a potent greenhouse gas accelerating climate change.
FAO report indicates that in Kenya, the amount of emissions produced by food systems has remained constant in absolute terms from 2010 to 2020, going down slightly from 65.3 to 63.3 MtCO2 eq.
These emission has decreased compared to other sectors due to overall economic growth trends, in 2020, food systems emissions still made up a substantial 72 per cent of Kenya's total national emissions, which is higher than the global average of 31 per cent.
In a recent a report by the United Nation Environment programme (UNEP), Food Waste Index 2024, food loss and waste contribute 8 to 10 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions annually and it takes up the equivalent of nearly 30 per cent of the world's agricultural land.
UNEP advocates for collaborative efforts as essential for achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12.3, and implementing systemic changes within the global food system through public-private partnerships (PPPs), referred to as 'voluntary agreements,' in driving food waste reduction across the food supply chain.
Northern Corridor blueprint secures green funding
Officials say the funding is expected to unlock further investments needed to modernise freight transport across the region.Manufacturers turn to direct sales as online shopping reshapes electronics trade
Electronics market is moving further online as manufacturers and retailers expand digital sales channels, giving consumers more ways to research, compare and purchase products.Historic El Nino threat raises fresh risks for Kenya's economy and food security
Kenya is staring down the barrel of its most powerful El Nino in more than four decades, with forecasters and economists warning of a potential catastropheStanbic Bank records marginal jump in half-year profit to Sh6.6b
Stanbic Holdings posted a marginal rise in half-year profit to Sh6.61 billion but cut its interim dividend by more than half despite stronger asset quality.Surge in Tanzania, Uganda units push EABL net profit to record Sh18.2 billion
Regional brewer East African Breweries Ltd (EABL) has posted a record net profit of Sh18.2 billion for the year ended June 2026.MOST READ
- Manufacturers turn to direct sales as online shopping reshapes electronics trade
ENTERPRISE
By David Njaaga
- Historic El Nino threat raises fresh risks for Kenya's economy and food security
BUSINESS
By Brian Ngugi
- Stanbic Bank records marginal jump in half-year profit to Sh6.6b
BUSINESS
By Brian Ngugi