By Simeon Shodimu
Nigeria tops in food poverty across the world, sadly it also tops Africa in food waste, losing an estimated 38 million tonnes annually, a situation the European Union has described as “alarming” due to its implications for food security, the economy, and the environment.
EU’s Zissimos Vergos emphasized the importance of reducing food waste for sustainable development during Abuja’s International Day of Zero Waste event on March 30.
This is not just a loss of food; it is a squandering of precious resources, a missed opportunity to combat hunger, and a direct threat to our planet’s health,” Zissimos Vergos said.
Vergos stated that globally, nearly one billion tonnes of food were wasted in 2022 alone, contributing up to 10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and nearly 40 percent of methane emissions.
“Food loss and waste are major drivers of environmental degradation, nearly five times the emissions of the entire aviation sector,” he said.
Vergos commended Nigeria’s efforts and noted the Circular Economy Roadmap (CER), the establishment of the Interministerial Circular Economy Committee, and initiatives to regulate plastic waste as “structural shifts” signalling the country’s determination to address the problem internally.
While drawing lessons from the EU, he outlined three key strategies to curb Nigeria’s food waste. “Invest in rural roads, storage, and cold chains to fix the ‘last mile’ beyond the farm.
Promote the processing of fresh produce into value-added products like tomato paste and cassava flour by linking smallholder farmers to processors and markets. Embed zero-waste, recycling, and resource-saving education into school curricula from the primary level to build a sustainable culture,” he stated.
Philbert Johnson, director and UNIDO’s representative in Nigeria, also emphasised the wider impact of food waste.
Food is far more than a commodity; it is a foundation of wealth, a driver of health, and a pillar of security. When food systems fail, when food is lost or wasted, the consequences ripple across our economies, our environment, and our communities,” he stated.
The EU, UNIDO, and the Nigerian government have called for urgent collective action, noting that wasted food also means wasted water, energy, and labour while exacerbating climate change.
