Brooklyn Beckham has publicly addressed rumours of a rift with his parents, David and Victoria Beckham. In multiple Instagram Stories, he says that his parents' behaviour has affected his marriage to Nicola Peltz. In the long social media post, Brooklyn rejected claims that his wife controls him
Stocks to Watch Today, January 20, 2026: Indian equities began the week on a weak note, with benchmark indices slipping nearly 0.5 per cent amid negative global and domestic cues. Technically, analysts noted that the Nifty's breach below the crucial 25
In a controversy-filled Africa Cup of Nations final, Brahim Diaz's attempt to bring some calm only added to the chaos. Around 17 minutes passed between Morocco being awarded a penalty, deep into stoppage time, and Diaz beginning his run-up. The Real Madrid forward slowed as he approached the ball
Addressing UDF Mahapanchayat in Kochi, Gandhi hailed the alliance workers for the performance in the Kerala panchayat elections, where it gained a majority in 382 gram panchayats, 75 block panchayats and six district panchayats. Kochi: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi
Have you ever noticed blood after brushing or flossing your teeth? At first, it may seem like a minor issue caused by brushing too hard. While most of us rinse and forget about it, bleeding gums can be a serious sign of an underlying problem, one that may become costly if ignored
Amid hunger and poor nutrition, India’s food waste is feeding a disastrous loop
In Belém, Brazil, the spectacle of COP30 diplomacy has already faded. While the global leaders gathered to trade new promises on climate action, the real crisis raged on the ground.
India, a key player in this fight, is currently battling a confluence of climate-driven disasters. This year's punishing extreme heatwave, one of the earliest and most severe on record, scorched vast swathes of the subcontinent.
Simultaneously, the recent unprecedented floods in Punjab, India's essential “food bowl”, have submerged huge tracts of farmland, destroying crops and jeopardising the nation's food security.
A new global assessment done by the UN now identifies India as one of the world's largest methane emitters, driven largely by agriculture, crop-residue burning and overflowing dumpsites adding fuel to an already accelerating crisis.
This is the grim reality of climate change – extreme heat and flooding directly cause massive food loss at the farm gate, which in turn intensifies the climate threat when it rots in landfills.
Food rotting in landfills releases methane, a Short-Lived Climate Pollutant that is up to 86 times more potent than carbon dioxide over 20 years.
India is caught in a disastrous loop, where its colossal food waste problem is both a symptom and a significant accelerator of the climate crisis.
We are, quite literally, feeding our garbage dumps instead of our people, creating a downward spiral where wasted food heats the planet, and a hotter planet struggles to grow food.
The United Nation's latest report, The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2025, states a fundamental, painful truth: millions are malnourished because safe, nutritious food is often not affordable. This global paradox finds its sharpest echo in India. While we strive for food self-sufficiency, we rank a serious 105th out of 127 countries on the 2024 Global Hunger Index. Our failure isn't a lack of food, but a monumental crisis of waste.
The numbers are staggering. The average Indian household discards 55 kg of food annually, totalling a national loss of 78.2 million tonnes, valued at a crippling Rs 92,000 crore. This waste is more than an economic failure; it's an environmental time bomb.
An estimated 30%-40% of total food production gets wasted, amounting to a loss of Rs 2 lakh crore per annum, and this happens at various points along the supply chain:
The “First-Mile” Crisis (Farm): The journey of neglect begins here. Up to 16% of fruits and vegetables wilt in fields due to a critical lack of affordable cold storage and refrigerated transport. Small farmers are forced into distress sales to avoid total loss, a situation exacerbated by climate-driven crop damage from extreme weather events like the recent Punjab floods.
The “Middle-Mile” Chaos (Logistics): Produce that survives the farm hurdle faces an inefficient logistics network. Further wastage occurs due to poor infrastructure and, notably, “cosmetic filtering” – the arbitrary rejection of perfectly good produce by supermarkets for superficial blemishes.
The “Last-Mile” Disconnect (Consumption): In urban India, a growing detachment from food's origins leads to profligate consumption. Enormous amounts of food from homes and lavish social events end up in landfills, where they are a primary source of the harmful methane emissions.
Current national food security policies like the National Food Security Act and the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, while successful in distributing staples like rice and wheat, have a blind spot: they largely overlook the colossal quantities of perishable, nutrient-rich fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. These are the very items essential for fighting malnutrition and yet, tragically, remain undistributed.
Tackling food waste is a dual imperative: it can simultaneously enhance food security and build national climate resilience by curbing potent greenhouse gas emissions. This demands a multi-pronged, policy-driven response.
While the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has published regulations for surplus food distribution, they don't fully shield businesses from potential lawsuits under the broader Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. This fear of litigation deters many restaurants and supermarkets from donating. A nationwide “Good Samaritan Law” is critical to protect donors from liability, empowering a robust food-rescue ecosystem.
Fragmented supply chains demand urgent, mission-mode investment. A dedicated national initiative must establish farm-level pack-houses, refrigerated transport, and modern storage facilities. This infrastructure will not only slash food wastage and curb harmful methane emissions but also provide a massive boost to farmer incomes, a triple win for the economy, environment, and society.
The final policy response must be to strictly enforce the Solid Waste Management Rules, requiring bulk generators to segregate and divert organic waste from landfills. Simultaneously, the government must act as the anchor customer for this diverted waste.
Schemes like SATAT (Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation) can guarantee the purchase of Bio-CNG produced from organic waste. This creates the necessary market demand, as successfully demonstrated by Indore's pioneering Bio-CNG plant under the GOBAR-Dhan scheme, which is already generating 77,400 km/day of equivalent transport fuel that is being produced for 430 buses.
Tackling food waste is not merely waste management; it is a strategic climate and food security imperative for a nourished and resilient India. The path to achieving our climate goals and feeding our population begins on our farms and ends with responsible consumption.
Pranjali Chowdhary is a Research and Policy Associate at the Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development, India, focusing on advancing climate goals by strengthening the integration of waste management and state-level policy frameworks.
Shivang Agarwal is a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development, Washington DC. He is an environmental engineering professional with six years of experience in air pollution and climate science, policy development, and project leadership.
Originally published under Creative Commons by 360info™.
Source: Scroll
Related Posts: Tamil Nadu Congress leaders to meet AICC brass amid DMK hard line Raj Thackeray admits MNS's poor BMC polls performance UAE president likely to arrive on Monday amid Gulf tensions Amid Communal Bias Row Lin Chun-Yi, An Se-Young Win India Open Amid Market in red at opening bell amid global tariff concerns and weak growth cues Sensex, Nifty Open Sharply Lower Amid Weak Global Cues Does He Still Have That Hunger Ja Morant Pledges Loyalty To Memphis Grizzlies Amid NBA Trade Talks Karan Aujla Extends India Tour To 12 Cities Amid Viral Infidelity Allegations
Viral videos allegedly show Karnataka DGP K Ramachandra Rao in intimate acts inside his office. Rao denies claims as manipulated, while Chief Minister Siddaramaiah orders inquiry and possible disciplinary action. A DGP-rank Karnataka IPS officer and father of gold smuggling accused Ranya Rao
Just now
Lava Blaze Duo 3 Price In India: The smartphone features include an in-display fingerprint sensor, face unlock, stereo speakers, an IR blaster, and a USB Type-C port. The device measures 7.55mm in thickness and weighs 181 grams. Lava Blaze Duo 3 Price In India: Homegrown smartphone brand Lava has
Just now
Late last year, more than a thousand people converged in Seoul's convention center as elite engineers presented their latest developments in artificial intelligence. Despite the arcane jargon filling the sprawling auditorium, it was a must-attend event for Korean technology executives and investors
Just now
A United Airlines Airbus A321neo (UA2323) suffered a dramatic mechanical failure at Orlando International Airport (MCO) when a nose wheel detached upon touchdown. Watch the viral footage of the rough landing that led to an FAA ground stop. The United Airlines flight that originated from Chicago was
Just now
Smith, who last featured in a T20I for Australia back in February 2024, recently smashed a 42-ball 100 for Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League (BBL). The star Aussie batter Steve Smith expressed his aspirations of featuring in a T20I for Australia in the Olympics
Just now
Composer and filmmaker Palash Muchhal appears to be channeling his focus back to work after weeks of intense public scrutiny surrounding his personal life. Following the cancellation of his wedding with Indian cricketer Smriti Mandhana, Palash is now gearing up for his next directorial venture
Just now
This development comes as the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) announced that US and Canadian aircraft will arrive at Pituffik Space Base in Greenland. Several European nations have deployed military personnel to Greenland amid escalating threats from US President Donald Trump to
Just now
Manchester City have moved swiftly to address their defensive problems, snapping up Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace on a five-and-a-half-year deal reportedly worth £20 million. With injuries piling up at centre-back, City stepped up their pursuit of the England international and got the deal
Just now
The Congress on Monday accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in Rajasthan of conspiring to fraudulently remove voters who support the Opposition from the electoral rolls using allegedly forged forms during the special intensive revision in the state
Just now
NASA rolled out the Moonbound Artemis II rocket and spacecraft, achieving a "huge milestone" on Saturday, January 17. The rollout of the powerful Stacked Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft officially started around 7:04 am ET
Just now
Tiger Global may file a review petition following a Supreme Court verdict on the India-Mauritius tax treaty. The ruling alters how investors interpret tax treaties, particularly regarding indirect transfers. This development sparks discussions in tax and legal circles
Just now
Italian fashion designer Valentino Garavani, known as Valentino, has died at the age of 93. One of the giants of 20th Century fashion, Valentino's creations were worn by celebrities and well-known figures including Elizabeth Taylor, Nancy Reagan, Sharon Stone, Julia Roberts and Gwyneth Paltrow
Just now
Experts warn that the use of external chemicals even those labelled mild may disrupt the natural microbiome, increasing the risk of infections. Conversations around intimate hygiene remain limited, and the use of external products to maintain it continues to be widely debated
Just now
Speculation about a possible delay in the release of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Love & War has now been put to rest, with sources close to the project firmly dismissing claims that the film has been pushed to 2027. New Delhi: Filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali is gearing up for a grand return to the big
Just now
WhatsApp appears to be preparing a major upgrade for its web platform, with new features aimed at bringing it closer to the experience offered on mobile and desktop apps. According to a recent report, the company is developing support for group voice and video calls on WhatsApp Web
Just now
Global trade is reorganizing into regional blocs, not collapsing. Companies must build capacity to navigate multiple futures as geopolitics increasingly shapes markets. India Inc. shows resilience due to strong domestic demand. Leaders need to embed geopolitical insight into strategy for growth and
Just now
It was a moment Charalampos Kostoulas will never forget. An acrobatic overhead-kick equaliser in stoppage time - not a bad way for Brighton's 18-year-old Greek forward to open his account at the Amex Stadium. The substitute, who signed from Olympiakos for £29.78m in the summer
Just now
Silver rate today: The COMEX silver rate today surged to a new record high, as President Donald Trump's bid to take control of Greenland stoked concerns over a potential US–Europe trade conflict, unsettling markets. Silver briefly climbed to an all-time high of $94.740 an ounce on Tuesday
Just now
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said that the aim behind this is to free people from the burden of remembering multiple numbers during crises and to ensure swift help when it matters most. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said on Monday that citizens will no longer need to dial different helpline
Just now
India's dining landscape continues to evolve with brands expanding thoughtfully, blending strong culinary identities with design, community, and purpose. Across cities, new openings are no longer just about food, they are about experience, storytelling
Just now
Blue Davos refers to a special focus on water — especially oceans, freshwater, and water-related systems — at this year's World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. The WEF, from January 19 to 23, will highlight water ecosystems, the global water cycle
Just now
Prateek Yadav, the son of Samajwadi Party (SP) patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav, has hit headlines after announcing his intention to divorce his wife, Aparna Yadav, alleging that she has “ruined his family ties." Hours after announcing the decision
Just now
Ecommerce marketplaces such as Amazon India and Flipkart are set to post 20–22% growth during their ongoing Republic Day sales compared with last year, extending the online shopping momentum seen during the 2025 festive season, according to industry experts.Republic Day sales
Just now
Earlier this month, a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Sham Lal Sharma, called for a separate state of Jammu to be carved out of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The BJP was quick to distance itself from Sharma's statement, describing it as his individual opinion
Just now
Tarot Card Reading Horoscope Today For January 20: Step into the mystical realm as the tarot cards reveal what the universe has in store for you today. Whether you`re seeking clarity in love, career, or personal growth, today`s tarot insights offer powerful guidance tailored to your zodiac sign
Just now
Senegal's thrilling Africa Cup of Nations win has been dimmed by controversy, as a walk-off protest during their final against Morocco looms over celebrations. Coach Pape Bouna Thiaw made the dramatic decision to lead his team off the field following a debatable VAR penalty call
Just now
JioHotstar has announced a revised subscription structure for new users, introducing nine plans across Mobile, Super and Premium tiers. The update, effective January 28, 2026, adds monthly options across all tiers while retaining quarterly and annual plans
Just now
