JEDNI GLADUJU – DRUGI BACAJU HRANU!?

Količina hrane koja se svake godine baca širom sveta dovoljna je da svi gladni budu nahranjeni.

U Srbiji sve više gladnih, onih kojima je hrana koju dobijaju u Narodnim kuhinjama jedini obrok.

Neverovatno, ali je istinito, iako je širom sveta sve više gladnih, svake godine bacaju se ogromne količine hrane!

Ovaj problem ima i svoju ekolosku dimenziju. Prilikom hemijskog razgrađivanja neiskorišćene hrane, koja najčešće završava na deponijama, oslobađaju se otrovne materije koje odlaze u vazduh i vodu. Najopasniji je metan koji ostaje stalno u atmosferi i stvara efekat staklene bašte. Podjednako je opasno i kada se bacaju ostaci prženog ili pohovanog mesa, s obzirom da ulje u kojima je spremano posle prve upotrebe postaje kancerogeno. Šta se dešava kada ono prodre u zemlju ili vodu, ne treba objašnjavati. 

Jedini spas narodne kuhinje

Koliko je problem bacanja hrane alarmantan najbolje govori podatak da je u Srbiji iz godine u godinu sve više onih koji nemaju šta da jedu jer im je obrok koji dobijaju u narodnim kuhinjama jedino dnevno sledovanje.  Zapanjujuće je da je među ovim ljudima veliki procenat dece!

Prema podacima Crvenog krsta, na teritoriji Beograda postoje 53 distributivna punkta na kojima se deli hrana. Na njima se dnevno podeli 11250 obroka. Svaki se sastoji od kuvanog jela, hleba, i voća. Na teritoriji Srbije dnevno se spremi 33202 obroka, a među korisnicima narodnih kuhinja u našoj državi  je oko 9650 dece!

Zašto se hrana baca?

Rezultati nekih do sada sprovedenih istraživanja javnog mnjenja govore da se hrana baca zato što se skuvalo previše, zbog toga što je bila zaboravljena u frižiderima pa se pokvarila i zbog isteka roka trajanja prehrambenih proizvoda.

Hranu najviše bacaju veliki trgovinski lanci i restorani, a tek posle njih domaćinstva. Najviše se baca hleb, a potom meso, mleko, voće i povrće. Prema broju stanovnika, na teritoriji bivše Jugoslavije hrana se najviše baca u Crnoj Gori, a najmanje u Sloveniji. Procenjuje se da se u Srbiji godišnje baci 247 000 tona hrane!

Rešenje postoji

Za ovaj problem postoje dva rešenja, i oba zavise od države! Nadležne državne institucije bi trebalo da omoguće reciklažu bačene hrane uspostavljanjem sistema za njeno prikupljanje, preradu, i pretvaranje u biogas, koji bi potom mogao da se koristi za proizvodnju prirodnog đubriva i električne energije. Ova mera je odavno primenjena u nekim bogatim državama Evrope poput Švedske i daje odlične rezultate. Inače, Nacionalna agencija za lokalni ekonomski razvoj (NALED) je osmislila i uradila projekat da tako nešto bude realizovano i u Srbiji i on još čeka da bude sproveden.

Drugo, indikativno je da su veliki trgovinski lanci koji su među rekorderima po bacanju hrane saopštili da bi je neuporedivo više nego sada donirali bolnicama, narodnim kuhinjama, i drugim socijalnim ustanovama kada bi se ukinuo PDV!? Zapanjujuće zvuči da naša država traži od onih koji hoće da nešto nekom poklone to i plate i sigurno je da bi sve donacije, pa i donacije hrane, bile neuporedivo češće ako bi se ukinuo PDV!

Magazine: Lobisti
Date: Octobar16, 2022

One Group Starves – Another Wastes Food!?

The amount of food wasted every year around the world is enough to feed all the hungry.

In Serbia, the number of hungry people is increasing, with many relying on the meals they receive from soup kitchens as their only source of food.

Incredible but true, despite the growing number of hungry people worldwide, vast quantities of food are wasted every year!

This problem also has an ecological dimension. The chemical decomposition of unused food, which often ends up in landfills, releases toxic substances into the air and water. The most dangerous is methane, which remains in the atmosphere and creates the greenhouse effect. It is equally dangerous when the remnants of fried or breaded meat are discarded, as the oil used for cooking becomes carcinogenic after the first use. The consequences of this leaching into the soil or water are harmful and far-reaching.

The Only Salvation for Soup Kitchens

The alarming nature of the food waste problem is highlighted by the fact that in Serbia, year after year, there are increasing numbers of people who have nothing to eat except the meals provided by soup kitchens as their only daily sustenance. It is astonishing that a significant percentage of these individuals are children!

According to data from the Red Cross, there are 53 distribution points in Belgrade where food is handed out. These points distribute 11,250 meals daily, each consisting of a cooked dish, bread, and fruit. In Serbia, a total of 33,202 meals are prepared daily, and among the beneficiaries of soup kitchens in the country, there are about 9,650 children!

Why is Food Wasted?

Results from some public opinion surveys reveal that food is wasted because too much was cooked, because it was forgotten in refrigerators and spoiled, and because of expired food products.

Food is mainly wasted by large retail chains and restaurants, and only afterward by households. The most commonly wasted food items are bread, followed by meat, milk, fruit, and vegetables. Based on population, food is wasted the most in Montenegro and the least in Slovenia. It is estimated that in Serbia, 247,000 tons of food are wasted annually!

Solutions Exist

There are two solutions to this problem, both of which depend on the state! Relevant government institutions should enable the recycling of discarded food by establishing a system for its collection, processing, and conversion into biogas, which could then be used for the production of natural fertilizers and electricity. This measure has long been implemented in some wealthy European countries like Sweden and has shown excellent results. In fact, the National Agency for Local Economic Development (NALED) has designed and developed a project for this to be realized in Serbia, and it is still awaiting implementation.

Secondly, it is indicative that large commercial chains, which are among the leaders in food waste, have stated that they would donate a lot more food to hospitals, soup kitchens, and other social institutions if VAT were eliminated! It is astonishing that our state requires those who want to donate something to someone to pay for it, and it is certain that all donations, including food donations, would be much more frequent if VAT were abolished!