People in Oman threw away over 13,000 tonnes of food in the first 10 days of Ramadan, enough to feed more than 300,000 people, a government report in 2020 has revealed.

Yesterday, I was reading the Malayalam short story Biriyani, which grips your heart with its painful narrative on hunger, one of the most basic human feelings that nothing but food can address. I have seen people begging for food, I have seen labourers devouring dry rotis or boiled rice with nothing but a chilli or onion on the side — this too is a luxury for them! I have also seen people wasting half-eaten food spread on their plates as if that were their right.  

It is a great irony that the food production in this world is sufficient to take care of the food requirement of the entire population but more than 16 per cent of the world’s population is still undernourished and under abject poverty. While a section of the population is trying hard to fight obesity, one billion people are living in extreme poverty.

According to the UN World Food Programme’s live Hunger Map, 957 million people worldwide do not have enough to eat on a regular basis, and there are 93 hungry countries on our planet! The painful paradox is that the small farmers, herders, and fishermen, who produce about 70 per cent of the global food supply, are especially vulnerable to food insecurity, according to the data available, and the rural population is the most affected among the lot.

On the other hand, the quantity of food going to waste, especially in the wealthy nations, is much high. The Gulf countries are no exception to this phenomenon.

Why can’t we prevent food wastage?
What ignited this thought is a report from 2017, about a fridge installed outside a mall in Al Khuwair, for workers, where they can get meals, fruits and water donated by people. Such community fridges are common in many parts of the world, but how sustainable are they, and what happens to them after the initial hype is over –  is the question we need to ask.

Though such community refrigerators are lifelines for the neighbourhoods they serve. They are mainly managed by voluntary organisations in many places as there is no system in place to ensure they are sustainable.

However, it is time to ensure that there is a system put in place in the form of a community refrigerator to ensure food security. Business establishments must associate with such initiatives as a part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR). As a socially-committed enterprise, Alhind Group in cooperation with The Arabian Stories and various community members have decided to step up and provide a community refrigerator once the permission of the concerned authorities is well received. We see it as an act of sharing, not charity. Even our team members can be involved in this initiative as they too look forward to serving humanity.

It should be a lifeline for those looking to satisfy their hunger and they should have access to it without affecting their dignity. It means the refrigerator should be installed in locations where there is privacy for those using it at the same time ensuring accessibility.

Along with taking care of the hungry, we hope to reduce the wastage of food. It makes us realise that the extra food we have is not ours, but for others who need it.

Moreover, it instils a vital habit that the world needs in abundance today – sharing. Imagine if young children are taught the value of sharing food, they will learn to be more benevolent and humane, and live a life sans pomposity.

A refrigerator is not just about hunger, but also about variety. If a labourer, who toils all day at a construction site, is given something tasty, it would be a joyous experience for him/her. The ones who have no financial means to visit an outlet for pizza or burgers will get a chance to relish these delectable treats without it affecting their humble wages Imagine their delight!

Yes, food is not just about satisfying hunger, it is also about tantalising one’s taste buds!