FOOD BANKS ARE THE NEED OF THE HOUR IN INDIA TO FIGHT :
Hunger & Starvation
Garbage issue
Poverty and homelessness
India wastes enough food to feed a state the size that has between 40 to 48 MPs , for a whole year. This means that just the amount of food that we waste can feed over 11 crores or 110 million people every day for 12 months.
FOOD BANK FOR THE POOR SANGOLDA GOA has completed 2 years in feeding the poor and we are ready to implement this model across INDIA if the GOVERNMENT OF INDIA supports us.
Most of us reading this are fortunate enough to have hot nutritious meals. We also celebrate World Food Day and World Environment Day every year.
Food Waste is a serious issue and represents serious consequences for a country like India.
Over 194 million Indians suffer from hunger and close to 1.3 million children lose their lives to hunger in India every year as a result of food being scarce, unaffordable and inaccessible among other reasons. India produces enough food (Approx 270 million tonnes) to meet the needs (Approx 230 million tonnes) of all the citizens. But 40% of the food grown is lost and wasted.
This is why I am requesting hundreds of stores , hotels, restaurants, factories , caterers across India, to draft and publish a Zero Food Waste Policy that it will be implemented across India.
Many times, foods that are perfectly safe to consume (even if past best before dates) and fresh fruit and veg that are not 'looking perfect and fresh' get tossed into the garbage bin. This can be avoided if the company creates a policy and implements steps to donate such food to food banks .
Foods that are unsafe to consume (those that are past their expiry dates) can always be sent for composting instead of sending them to landfills and further burdening Mother Nature.
Growing fresh food requires plenty of precious environmental resources- water, energy, fertile soil etc. Let us not forget the hard labour our farmers put in!
Processing this food into food products and transporting into our neighbourhood supermarkets also utilises resources and creates a lot of carbon footprint.
Neither any major hypermart food chain website nor any of their stores have any information visibly available on the quantity of food waste generated. The sustainability commitment published on the website of non of the hypermarket also makes no mention of how food waste is being managed.
As a customer, I only buy as much food as I need for my family and ensure that food waste is minimal at home. I would expect the brands & companies I invest in, to be equally responsible with respect to their commitment towards our community and our limited
I sincerely hope the major food chains and the major hypermarts look into this issue at the earliest and commit to #FightFoodWaste across our nation.
Given their vast reach and presence, I urge GOVERNMENT OF INDIA to take the lead in fighting food wastage by drafting and publishing its Zero Waste Food Policy for all major food chains and hypermarts in INDIA
A well thought out Food Waste Policy when implemented, can not only help save our environment but can also end hunger and malnourishment.
Here in GOA , see the garbage issues . Both in North Goa & South Goa . Currently the south Goa dump is on fire for the last 2 days .
If this food can be channelised towards food banks , then about 10 to 20 % of Goa garbage issue can be reduced immediately.
We are currently avoiding about 1.5 tonnes of good food being dumped in the GARBAGE by picking up this food and feeding the poor daily across Goa .
Goa approx throws out 12 tonnes of good cooked food daily.
( which we can feed about 40000 meals a day for which I have a fool proof plan as there are many mouths who would not mind having this food.)
So 12 tonnes a day wasted food ,
Adds to 360 tonnes a month ( 12 tonnes * 30 days ) or
It can be 4320 tonnes a year ( 360 tonnes * 12 months )
FOOD BANK FOR THE POOR SANGOLDA GOA is now starting a FOOD BANK FOR STRAYS and ANIMALS in GOA .
If you feed strays and want to avail free food from the Food Bank for Strays, starting in Goa soon , please fill this form
http://bit.do/FoodBankForStrays
and we will get back to you.
Do spread the word!
Yes you read right .
Animals too are in need of food.
By starting this bank we can surely reduce the wet garbage in Goa by atleast another 10 % minimum.
Looking for volunteers across Goa who have a passion for feeding strays and animals ie Cows, buffaloes , goats , etc but find it a bit expensive to do so.
Infact we are already started a soft launch in a few places and we are keen to take it forward.
All details are on the link so please don't ask questions.
Open the link , understand, read , fill it and send it .
Our volunteers will update you once the data is complete.
This FOOD BANK FOR THE STRAYS is a new concept putting together according to my rough estimate about 3000 kgs of waste food a day only from RESTAURANTS ( for a start ) to a good use of feeding strays and animals.
That's a WHOPPING 100 TONNES a month of GARGABGE not going to the GARBAGE DUMPS in any part of GOA .
We are also looking for people or farms who rear animals in the state of GOA to join in and pick food once we link the system.
It may take time to settle down but it will serve the need of the hour.
To solve the future garbage problems PRIORITY in GOA and later in INDIA, food banks are going to be one of the major answers.
So spread the message and let's all do something to save our GOA from the garbage issue which is playing havoc in all our garbage dumps across GOA especially at SONSODDO, South Goa .
Ernest support required from the MLAs , CHAIRPERSONs, COUNCILLORs of MAPUSA, PANJIM , MARGAO, MARMAGAO as well as the rest of the municipalities in Goa.
Also looking for restaurant owners especially chain of restaurants across Goa to donate food to our food bank for the poor .
We pick food from your restaurant on a daily basis once we are in an understanding. By donating food to the food bank for the poor , you too are contributing to reducing the wet garbage in Goa.
Kindly don't drop your waste wet food in our fridges which are installed . The fridges installed are for only food for human beings.
Food for strays will be picked up from the restaurant directly by our volunteers daily.
God bless you
Donald Fernandes
8380097564 / 7020314848
