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!