Officials issue urgent warning about overlooked crisis causing ticking 'time bomb': 'Management is critical'

A recent UN report paints a challenging picture of food security and its climate implications for India, according to 360info.

What's happening?

The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2025 report detailed how hunger crises continue to spread as healthy food remains unattainable for a wide range of reasons. 

Researchers with the Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development dug into how up to 40% of food was wasted in India, including a lack of farm-level storage, inadequate transportation infrastructure, and household waste. 

Why is food waste important?

This situation isn't just a tragedy for the hungry or for farmers. 

"This waste is more than an economic failure; it's an environmental time bomb," wrote Pranjali Chowdhary, from the Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development in India.

Regardless of where food is being wasted, it generates methane as it decomposes. This gas is a pollutant capable of trapping massive amounts of heat in the atmosphere. This causes an increase in destructive weather patterns globally, including floods, droughts, storms, and wildfires. These stand to stress food production systems even further, creating a vicious cycle. 

Indian agriculture is facing these effects continually, resulting in steep increases in grocery prices for end consumers. 

What's being done about food waste?

Cutting back on personal food waste can be as simple as finding imaginative uses for leftovers and composting that which you can't still use. 

Researchers from the Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development recommended harnessing methane from food waste as biogas to be used as fuel in transportation. LinkedIn commenters had a range of their own suggestions to address the issue. 

"Ward level waste management is critical. This saves money often spent on transportation," said one LinkedIn user commenting on India's food waste figures. 

"Shocking food waste stats. Urgent need for inclusive waste solutions, especially in low-income areas," wrote another. 

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