Zimbabwe Urged to Tackle Alarming Food Waste Crisis at Mbare Market
Civil Society Calls for Action Against Daily Discards
The Zimbabwe Civil Society Organizations Scaling Up Nutrition Alliance (ZCSOSUNA) is calling for urgent action to address the growing food waste problem, particularly at Harare’s busy Mbare food market where tons of fresh produce are discarded daily.
Nutrition Expert Sounds Alarm
In an exclusive interview with 263Chat, Kudakwashe Zombe, a nutritionist with ZCSOSUNA, highlighted the critical need for better food preservation and value addition strategies.
“There’s significant food waste occurring currently,” Zombe stated. “Many food varieties are being lost due to spoilage, especially in market environments.”
The Global Food Waste Crisis
Worldwide, about one-third of all food produced – approximately 1.3 billion tons annually – goes to waste. This staggering loss not only represents squandered resources but also contributes substantially to climate change through methane emissions from decomposing food waste.
Climate Change Connection
Zombe explained the environmental impact: “Food waste contributes to climate change. Our current food system is fundamentally broken.” According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), food waste accounts for 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Government Initiatives and Technological Solutions
The Zimbabwean government has introduced the Food System Transformation Strategy to address these systemic challenges. “Proper implementation could significantly reduce food waste,” Zombe noted.
Role of Innovation
Zombe emphasized technology’s crucial role: “Innovations in food storage, packaging and preservation can dramatically decrease waste volumes by extending shelf life.”
Blending Tradition with Modern Methods
The nutrition expert also advocated for reviving traditional preservation techniques: “Sun-drying vegetables as done in the 1970s-80s remains effective. Solar-dried mangoes actually command higher prices.”
With Zimbabwe losing an estimated 30% of fruits and vegetables before reaching consumers, combining modern technology with traditional methods could significantly enhance food security while reducing environmental harm.