Food waste Management: Role of Housewives in enhancing Profitability, Sustainability and Environment Conservation – A Survey in Surat

Abstract

FAO has defined the term ‘food loss’ as “the reduction in eatable food at different stages of food chain either intentionally or unintentionally” whereas the term ‘food waste’ as “the reject of eatable foods at vender and buyerstages.” (FAO, 2017). Food waste is quite challenging and concerning topic. As per the reports of FAO, one third of eatable food is wasted in underprivileged nations which leads to the loss of revenue as well as harmful for the environment. A report published in Scotland clearly specify that “Food waste is a more dangerous for environment then plastics, as it produces huge amount of methane after dumping as per the report”. Research is done to find out suitable method of reducing food waste/loss to conserve environment, to enhance profitability and sustainability by reducing food waste/loss, to enhance the contribution of housewives in minimizing food waste. Hypothesis claims that there is a significant relation between food wastage/loss and environment conservation, there is a significant relation in enhancing profitability and sustainability and reduction of food waste, there is no significant relation between food waste and housewives. A well-structured questionnaire was circulated among the housewives of Surat and their opinion is collected on a sample size of 45 through Random Sampling method and finally it is concluded on the basis of their feedback received through questionnaire, which recommends Food Bank concept, strict law on food wastage, food sharing model and awareness about the concerns of food waste dumping can be more helpful in saving food.