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FILE | Fruits at a retailer in South Africa.
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Prof Susan Olofse has revealed that approximately 10.3 million tonnes of edible food in South Africa does not reach the human stomach, which is 34% of all food in South Africa.
Olofse spoke at the Regional Workshop on Food Loss and Waste Prevention for Sub-Saharan Africa in Pretoria on Monday.
It was a strategic session led by the governments of Germany, New Zealand and South Africa, sharing insights to promote food security and combat waste.
About 30% of South Africans are food insecure. Concerns have been raised over excessive price volatility and persistent food inflation. Weaknesses have also been highlighted in food storage system.
Olofse says, “Our research reveals that approximately 10.3 million tons of edible food that does not reach the human stomach, that is an astounding 34% of all food used in South Africa. And if you take into consideration that we export quite a bit of the food that we produce, it comes down to 45% of the food available for consumption in South Africa. I think that should really have us sit up straight, realising how inefficient our food systems are.”
