Report

India’s food wastage per capita stood at 55 kg annually in 2022, significantly lower than the global average of 79 kg per person per year, according to the UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2024. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has launched initiatives like the “Save Food Share Food” campaign, encouraging businesses and caterers to donate excess food.

National Network for Surplus Food Redistribution

To improve food redistribution, the government established a national network of surplus food distribution organizations under the Indian Food Sharing Alliance (IFSA). Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution B.L. Verma announced that 82 agencies across 90 cities are now part of IFSA. A dedicated website provides city-wise listings of IFSA members along with resources to prevent food waste. The Centre has urged states and Union Territories (UTs) to incorporate food waste prevention in school curricula to raise awareness among students.

State Food Safety Index Rankings

The FSSAI publishes the State Food Safety Index (SFSI) annually, assessing states and UTs on compliance, consumer empowerment, training, infrastructure, and surveillance. In the latest rankings, Kerala (63), Punjab (57.5), Tamil Nadu (56.5), Madhya Pradesh (56), Uttar Pradesh (52.5), and Gujarat (48.5) emerged as top-performing states. Among UTs, Jammu and Kashmir (59.5) and Delhi (49.5) secured top spots. However, the Ministry clarified that SFSI scores cannot be directly compared across years due to periodic revisions in evaluation criteria.

Source: Mathrubhumi