Amidst economic hardship in Nigeria, the festive period brings forth a concerning issue – food waste. Michael David, a prominent climate and environmental advocate and Team Lead for the Global Initiative for Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation, sounded the alarm on the excessive wastage of food during Christmas in the country.
In a recent interview in Abuja, David highlighted the staggering amount of food that is wasted during Christmas, emphasizing its contribution to global warming and the detrimental impact on the environment. He called attention to the fact that the discarded food ends up in landfills, where it decomposes and produces methane, a greenhouse gas significantly more potent than carbon dioxide.
David urged Nigerians to reflect on the energy and natural resources expended in processing, transporting, storing, and cooking food, emphasizing the need to address the issue of food waste proactively.
“Many of us don’t think about the quantity of food we waste daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly, with an increase in tonnes of food waste during festivities, including Christmas,” he remarked, underscoring the need for a shift in mindset and behavior.
Despite the prevailing economic challenges, David emphasized that the scale of food waste during festive periods, particularly Christmas, is staggering, with a significant portion of the prepared food never being consumed.
The call to action, therefore, is for Nigerians to approach the festive season with mindfulness and responsibility, particularly concerning food consumption and waste, to mitigate the adverse impact on the environment.
The issue raised by David serves as an important reminder of the global significance of addressing food waste, cutting across economic, social, and environmental dimensions. As Nigeria grapples with this critical concern, the spotlight is not only on the festive season but also on the larger societal attitudes and practices towards food consumption and conservation.
