Food Waste & Food Insecurity: COVID-19

Since beginning the Political Ecology of the World’s Food System course, I find myself awakening to the way I, my family, my nation, and the world contribute to this planetary system. In the wake of COVID-19, one consequence of our current system that has been more apparent to me is food waste.

Due to the shutdown of bulk buyers like restaurants, the disruption of the food chain has led to farmers struggling to find the demand for their perishable products. As food banks are being overwhelmed by government-bought surplus donations, dairy farmers dump thousands of liters of milk. The abundance of food does not match my individual experience in the grocery store midst COVID-19 where food products appear limited.

The lack of food on the shelves is driven by fear buying and the shortage of labor that cannot keep up with new demands. Fear buying is cited to be a substantial contributor to the current exacerbation of food waste. While the US maneuvers surplus and food hoarding, other nations fear a food crisis due to job shortages and the halt of open trade.

A Call to Action put out by The Food and Land Use Coalition calls on world leaders to maintain open trade, strengthen social programs, and invest in domestic farming. This letter focuses on countries where food insecurity heavily affects their population, such as countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Although this letter was written for and during the pandemic, the issues addressed such as malnutrition and access to healthcare have spanned long before Coronavirus.

Food waste and food insecurity are both products of our current system and with COVID-19 disrupting the ability of grocery store workers and trade, this pandemic has magnified pre-existing infrastructure deficiencies.

6 thoughts on “Food Waste & Food Insecurity: COVID-19

  1. Unlike traditional wipes, which often contain synthetic materials that do not decompose easily, biodegradable flushable wipes are formulated to meet both performance and environmental standards.Those biodegradable flushable wipes are strong enough for effective cleaning but gentle enough to degrade after flushing, making them an eco-friendly alternative for daily use in households, healthcare, and travel.

  2. It’s alarming to see how so much food goes to waste while many are struggling to access it. This issue highlights the importance of effective strategies to redistribute excess food and support those in need. Speaking of support, I recently turned to a https://stateofwriting.com/uk/social-work-writing-service for help with my social work assignments, and it made a significant difference in my understanding of these social issues. By utilizing effective writing strategies and tailoring our messages to specific audiences, we can help raise awareness and encourage action on this critical issue.

  3. The mismatch between commercial and consumer food supply chains is particularly concerning. It’s frustrating to learn how difficult it was to redirect food from closed restaurants and schools to those in need, revealing a lack of flexibility in our distribution systems.

  4. It highlights a shocking paradox: massive food waste occurring simultaneously with rising food insecurity. It’s eye-opening to see how the pandemic exposed vulnerabilities in our food supply chains, leading to situations where food was left rotting in fields while people struggled to access meals.

  5. I found this article to be a compelling analysis of the paradoxical relationship between food waste and food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was eye-opening to see how supply chain disruptions led to massive food waste while simultaneously exacerbating hunger for many Americans.

    The stark contrast between food rotting in fields and people struggling to access it really struck me. It highlights the significant vulnerability in our food system, particularly the mismatch between commercial and consumer supply chains. I was surprised to learn about the challenges in redirecting food from closed restaurants and schools to those in need, which underscores the rigidity of existing distribution networks.

    The potential long-term shift towards more localized food systems is an intriguing possibility that could lead to greater resilience. This article raises important questions about the sustainability and equity of our current food system.

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