The Environmental Food Crisis

products and on its scale of production. There is no indication that marine fisheries today can sustain the 23% increase in landings required for the 56% growth in aquaculture produc- tion required to maintain per capita fish consumption at cur- rent levels to 2050. However, if sustainable, the amount of fish currently discarded at sea could alone sustain more than a 50% increase in aquaculture production. However, many of these species could also be used directly for human consumption. Fish post-harvest losses are generally high at the small-scale level. Recent work in Africa by FAO has shown that regard- less of the type of fisheries (single or multi-species), physical post-harvest losses (that is, fish lost for human consumption) are commonly very low, typically around 5% (DieiOuadi, 2007). Downgrading of fish because of spoilage is considerable, how- ever, perhaps as high as 10% and more. Hence, the total amount of fish lost through discards, post-harvest loss and spoilage may be around 40% of landings (DieiOuadi, 2007). The potential to use unexploited food waste as alternative sources of feed is also considerable for agricultural products. (Figures 11 and 12).

Food losses in the field (between planting and harvesting) could be as high as 20–40% of the potential harvest in developing countries due to pests and pathogens (Kader, 2005). Posthar- vest losses vary greatly among commodities and production ar- eas and seasons. In the United States, the losses of fresh fruits and vegetables have been estimated to range from 2% to 23%, depending on the commodity, with an overall average of about 12% losses between production and consumption sites (Cap-

Edible crop harvest 4600 kcal

After harvest 4000 kcal

Harvest losses

4 000

Animal feed

Meat and dairy 2800 kcal

3 000

Distribution losses and waste

Available for household consumption 2000 kcal

2 000

Food eaten Food lost

Fresh fruits and vegetables

1 000

Fluid milk

Processed fruits and veg

0

Meat, poultry and fish

Field

Household

Grain products

Figure 12: A gross estimate of the global picture of losses, con- version and wastage at different stages of the food supply chain. As a global average, in the late 1990s farmers produced the equivalent of 4,600 kcal/capita/day (Smil, 2000), i.e., before conversion of food to feed. After discounting the losses, conver- sions and wastage at the various stages, roughly 2,800 kcal are available for supply (mixture of animal and vegetal foods) and, at the end of the chain, 2,000 kcal on average – only 43% of the potential edible crop harvest – are available for consumption. (Source: Lundqvist et al ., 2008).

Caloric sweeteners

Fats and oils

Other foods (including eggs and other dairy products)

0

5

10

15

20

25

Food eaten/lost (million tons)

Figure 11: Food losses for different commodities. (Source: Kantor et al ., 1999).

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