Mitigating Food Loss and Waste for Enhanced National Food Security
Source:The Hindu ↗
हे का महत्त्वाचे आहे
Post-harvest losses and food wastage directly impact agricultural productivity, farmers' incomes, national food security, and climate goals, making it a crucial theme for GS Paper III.
सारांश
The article discusses the economic, environmental, and food security imperatives of tackling food loss and waste in India, emphasizing the role of robust agricultural supply chains, infrastructure modernization, and policy interventions.
मुख्य मुद्दे
- Food loss and waste represent significant challenges to India's food security, economic efficiency, and environmental sustainability.
- Improving supply chain management, cold storage infrastructure, and food processing can significantly mitigate post-harvest losses.
- Tackling food loss aligns with broader developmental goals like climate action, resource conservation, and enhancing farmers' real incomes.
महत्त्वाच्या संज्ञा
Post-Harvest Losses
The reduction in the quantity or quality of agricultural produce occurring between harvest and consumption, driven by deficient transport, handling, and inadequate scientific storage.
UPSC context
UPSC Mains GS Paper III (Agriculture): Crucial for questions on food processing, supply chain bottlenecks, and food security management.
Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY)
A central sector umbrella scheme by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries aimed at creating modern infrastructure, cold chains, and integrated value chains to minimize agricultural waste.
UPSC context
UPSC Mains GS Paper III (Agriculture): Essential policy intervention for food processing industries, reducing post-harvest losses, and boosting farmers' income.
पूर्वपरीक्षा सापळा
food waste at the retail and consumer levels is the primary driver of India's post-harvest losses.
Aspirants often assume post-harvest losses occur only at the consumer/retail end in India, whereas in developing nations like India, the vast majority of loss happens at farm-gate, transport, and storage levels.
संबंधित स्थिर संकल्पना
What are the primary government schemes and infrastructural initiatives in India for reducing post-harvest agricultural losses?
- PMKSY Scheme: Aims to create modern infrastructure with efficient supply chain management from farm gate to retail outlet, encompassing mega food parks and cold chain units.
- Operation Greens: Initially targeted tomatoes, onions, and potatoes (TOP), now expanded to all fruits and vegetables to stabilize supplies and prevent distress sales.
- Cold Chain Grid: Provides financial assistance to build temperature-controlled storage, reducing spoilage of perishable commodities across transport networks.
आंतर-विषय नमुने
Agricultural Supply Chains + Climate Mitigation
Reducing post-harvest loss turns wasted physical surplus into market value, achieving the same farmer income growth as expanding cultivated acreage but with zero additional land footprint or irrigation burden.
Resource Conservation + SDG 12 Commitments
Post-harvest losses destroy embedded water, energy, and soil nutrients, directly undercutting national efforts to meet climate NDC targets and resource conservation mandates.
Post-harvest management + PM Kisan SAMPADA Yojana will likely appear as a match-the-scheme or statement-based question in Prelims.
संबंधित PYQ · 3
संबंधित PYQ · 3
- 2025MainsGS3
Elaborate the scope and significance of supply chain management of agricultural commodities in India.
- 2025MainsGS3
Examine the scope of the food processing industries in India. Elaborate the measures taken by the government in the food processing industries for generating employment opportunities.
- 2024MainsGS3
Elucidate the importance of buffer stocks for stabilizing agricultural prices in India. What are the challenges associated with the storage of buffer stock? Discuss.
