Why Bangladesh should introduce a food waste law

Food waste refers to any food substance, whether raw or cooked, that is discarded or intended to be discarded, at any point in the food supply chain. This includes edible food that is not consumed by people, is wasted during preparation or processing, or is not sold or consumed within its intended shelf life.

According to the Food Waste Index Report 2021 by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), food waste is a severe problem in Bangladesh – which annually wastes more than one crore tons (1,06,18,233) of food. 

According to UNEP research, 17% of all food produced worldwide is wasted yearly, or at least 93.10 crore tonnes of food. Nearly 57 crore tonnes of food waste are generated by households, 5% by food services, and 2% by retail enterprises.

And, surprisingly, a Bangladeshi adult throws away 65 kg of food yearly at home. 

It is troubling to learn that Bangladesh wastes such a large amount of food. At the same time, over 14 million of its citizens are malnourished.

Bangladesh urgently requires a statutory law or a legal and regulatory structure to address this crucial issue. Bangladesh must pass legislation to cut down on food waste. The law should also set targets and reduction goals for food waste, such as lowering post-harvest losses and reducing food waste in homes, businesses, and food processing facilities.

There are food waste reduction methods already in use in other nations. India, for instance, has a specific statutory law called the "Compulsory Food Waste Reduction Bill, 2018." Malaysia, a middle-income country, has made significant progress in addressing food waste in recent years. In 2021, the government introduced the Malaysia Food Loss and Waste Act (FLW Act), which aims to reduce food loss and waste by 50% by 2030. 

What Bangladesh ought to do 

Regulations should clearly define and forbid food waste; additionally, they should be applied across retail to households. Both edible and inedible food should be included in the law's definition of "food waste," along with the various points in the food supply chain where waste can happen.

Additionally, the legislation must make it mandatory for organisations and individuals to take corrective steps to prevent food waste, including inventory control, appropriate food storage and preservation, and composting or recycling. The transfer of edible food to food banks, charities, or other organisations should be encouraged and made easier by the legislation. A system of penalties should be in place for non-compliance with the law.

About one-third of the food produced for human use is lost or wasted annually, according to a report by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations. According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, this number is much greater in Bangladesh where nearly 40% of the nation's entire food production is wasted. 

And according to research by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, the amount of food wasted in India is believed to be over 30%. Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, introduced in 2016, are one of the measures India has made to address the problem of food wastage. This rule required food businesses to contribute their extra food to charities and recognised food banks.

Bangladesh must take a holistic approach to decrease food waste to address food waste – which is likely to increase with the increase in population. Improved processing and storage methods and enhanced communication between food producers, distributors, and consumers should all be part of this effort. To reduce food waste among consumers, there should be more education and awareness initiatives.

Bangladesh can guarantee access to food to its expanding population while minimising food waste. This requires a holistic strategy, which in effect, can also reduce malnutrition in the nation.

Sadman Yeasar Alam is a North South University student at the Department of Law and also a member of the North South University Law & Mooting Society. 

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.