Each Ugandan throws away about 103kgs of food annually – UNEP

Members of the civil society have expressed concern over the high levels of food loss in the country.

According to the UN Environment Program Food Waste Index Report 2021, every Ugandan throws away an average of 103Kgs of food each year, amounting to a total 4,546 metric tons of food wasted in Uganda annually.

The research also showed that Uganda loses 6462 metric tons of food waste from restaurants and other food hubs while farmers lose more than 30-50% of their crops particularly in grain, fruit and vegetables in post-harvest and 80% lost on farm.

Addressing a joint press conference at the Food Rights Alliance offices in Kampala, as the world commemorates the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, the programme manager at FRA, Claire Atukunda said this is a huge loss in a country where over 10m Ugandans are food insecure.

She has called for the establishment of a formidable national food distribution system to reverse this trend.

“We advocate for the establishment of a clear formidable food distribution system in this country. There’s need for a system of how we can actually produce our food, push it to the different regions in the country so that people can equally have food all the seasons of the year,” Atukunda said.

Meanwhile, Gerald Kato, an official from Hunger Project Uganda, has urged Ugandans to drop the cultural norms and practices like weddings that largely influence consumption behavior that precipitates food waste.

Written by Prossy Kisakye