There is a need for increased capacity building and investments in reducing about 40 per cent of food that is going to waste across the country, researchers have said. According to Shaffy Niyoyita, the Crop Harvesting and Post-Harvest Handling Technologies Specialist at Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB), the 2021 Food Waste Index Report shows that up to 40 per cent of the total food produced each year is lost or wasted in Rwanda.
“We found that this amount of food waste represents food that can be grown and harvested on 21 per cent of the total national arable land in the country,” he said.
The study shows that food waste also contributes 16 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions. “The amount of such food waste also accounts for 12 per cent losses to Rwanda’s annual GDP. When we talk about food waste we mean food that was grown, harvested or processed but never consumed,” he noted.
He said that there are many factors causing food waste which include not storing some food such as vegetables and fruits in better conditions. The specialist noted that based on these studies, there is no doubt that this is a severe threat to the country, while it is known that 19 percent of the population does not have enough to eat, experts say.
Source: newtimes.co.rw