Around the world, millions of people struggle to get enough to eat, even as enormous quantities of food are discarded every year. More than a billion tonnes of food go to waste annually, highlighting a stark imbalance between what the world produces and what people actually consume.
The issue takes centre stage on World Food Day, observed on October 16 to mark the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 1945. This year’s theme, “Innovate today, nourish tomorrow”, calls for more sustainable food systems that can feed people while reducing waste.
Hunger remains a major global challenge
An estimated 645 million people, or 7.8 per cent of the world’s population, faced hunger in 2025, according to the UN’s annual State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report cited by Aljazeera. Although the figure has declined for the third consecutive year, it remains higher than pre-pandemic levels.
Africa accounts for the largest share of the world’s undernourished population. Around 309 million people on the continent faced hunger in 2025, equivalent to one in five people. Asia recorded 292 million undernourished people, while Latin America and the Caribbean had around 32 million.
The 2026 Global Hunger Index classified hunger as alarming in eight countries. Somalia recorded the worst score among the 122 countries ranked, followed by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Chad and Madagascar. Sudan, South Sudan, Burundi and Yemen were also placed in the alarming category, although conflict and gaps in available data prevented scores from being calculated.
Which countries waste the most food?
Food waste occurs at several stages, from farms and storage facilities to shops, restaurants and homes. The FAO estimates that around 13 per cent of food produced globally is lost after harvest but before reaching retail outlets, often because of problems with storage, transport and processing.
Once food reaches consumers, the problem continues. The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) estimates that 1.05 billion tonnes of food were wasted by households, food services and retailers in 2022.
Households were responsible for 60 per cent of this waste, followed by restaurants and other food services at 28 per cent and retailers at 12 per cent.
UN estimates put the Maldives at the top for food waste per person, at approximately 260kg annually. Syria, the Dominican Republic, Seychelles, Mexico and Tunisia also recorded more than 210kg per person. Spain was among the countries with the lowest levels, at around 39kg or less per person.
Simple ways to waste less food at home
Households can reduce waste by making a few practical changes to their daily routines.
Plan meals before shopping: Check existing supplies and buy only what is needed.
Read date labels carefully: “Use by” dates relate to safety, while “best before” dates indicate quality.
Store food correctly: Keep the refrigerator at 5C or below and store produce appropriately.
Freeze food before it spoils: Bread, cooked meals and suitable fruits and vegetables can be frozen for later use.
Prepare appropriate portions: Measuring ingredients such as rice and pasta can prevent unnecessary leftovers.
Use older food first: Keep older items at the front of cupboards and refrigerators.
Reuse leftovers: Turn leftover food and suitable vegetable scraps into soups, stocks or other meals.
Compost inedible scraps: Composting peels and eggshells can help keep organic waste out of landfills.
The environmental and economic cost
Food loss and waste cost the global economy more than $1 trillion annually, according to the UN. The problem also places pressure on natural resources: around 1.4 billion hectares of agricultural land are used to produce food that is never eaten.
Food loss and waste are also responsible for an estimated 8 to 10 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing waste can therefore help conserve resources, limit emissions and ensure that more of the food produced reaches people who need it.