Are the Rich Countries in Terms of Aggregate and Agricultural Activities Responsible for Food Waste? Insights from Some Selected Countries

Abstract

Food waste is a challenging and vital issue in the world today. Despite the fact that agricultural technological advancements have effectively improved food production, one-third of worldwide produced foods are being lost or wasted. The fact that large volumes of food are produced but not consumed by humans has serious environmental, social and economic consequences. However the issue of food waste has drawn attention in the last 10 years both in academic and social fields. Under the background, this study aims to examine whether the countries having high agriculture as well as per capita incomes are responsible for food waste or not. The study uses the data on food waste out of export and import channels across the world’s selected 20 countries having about 70 per cent contribution to food waste. Using the period 1971–2019, the study finds that food waste is associated with agriculture as well as per capita incomes of the developing and developed countries, positive for majorly developing countries and negative for majorly developed countries. The time series analysis involving food waste, per capita agriculture income and per capita income as the indicators, the study finds that there are long-run relations; among them across many countries implying countries having high incomes are responsible for food waste in most cases due to their food preference, although having good infrastructural facilities for preservation of foods.

Citation

De, B. and Das, R.C. (2024), "Are the Rich Countries in Terms of Aggregate and Agricultural Activities Responsible for Food Waste? Insights from Some Selected Countries", Das, R.C. (Ed.) Sustainable Agricultural Practices: Economic and Environmental Implications, Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 93-114. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83608-336-820241007