The Philippines' tropical climate makes it an ideal location for growing a number of food crops. This is why many of our country's farms are planted with rice, vegetables and fruits.

Despite the suitability of Philippine farms for food crops, millions of Filipinos suffer from hunger and are malnourished. According to the World Hunger Report 2018, there are still some 14.2 million undernourished Filipinos and 13.3 million food-insecure Filipinos. Taken together, these account for nearly a third of the country’s population.

One-third of food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted globally, which amounts to about 1.3 billion tonnes per year.

Food is lost or wasted throughout the supply chain from initial agricultural production all the way to final household consumption.

Food that never gets eaten also represents a waste of resources, such as land, water, energy, soil, seeds and other inputs used in its production, increasing green gas emissions in vain.

Food loss, or food waste, refers to the “decrease of food in subsequent stages of the food supply chain intended for human consumption,“ according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which also coauthored the World Hunger Report.

“Food is lost or wasted throughout the supply chain, from initial production down to final household consumption,“ a briefer from the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) explained.

Reducing food waste is environmentally important as it keeps food out of landfills. It makes economic sense at the small scale, by lowering household food bills and at the large scale by reducing disposal costs for restaurants, processors and farmers.

Everyone has a part to play in reducing food waste. Here are some ways to reduce food waste:
• Shop smart
• Store food correctly
• Learn to preserve
• Save leftovers
• Keep your serving sizes in check
• Understand expiration dates
• Compost if you can

Sign and share this petition! Together, let's reduce food waste in the Philippines!