World Environment Day: Ensure efficient food management, Lagos, FCT, others advise Nigerians

The Lagos State government and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have advised Nigerians to ensure efficient management of food at private homes and in public places in order to protect the environment and achieve food security.

Lagos State adds that the culture of food waste cannot guarantee provision of adequate food for ever increasing world population, condemning the ugly habit of wasting food at events, homes and public functions.

Tunji Bello, the state commissioner for the environment, who made this call in his address at this year’s World Environment Day (WED) in Lagos, also urged Lagosians to cultivate the habit of reducing food waste so that the environmental impact of food production could be minimised.

World Environment Day is celebrated on June 5 of every year to raise global awareness of the need to take positive environmental action. It is run by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

WED is celebrated this year with the theme ‘Think.Eat.Save’ which is an anti-food waste and food loss campaign that encourages people to reduce their food print.

Bello stressed the need for a high conservative culture by Nigerians not just on food, but also on all natural deposits, appealing that everybody should help sensitise residents on the need for a conservative environment.

The state governor, Babatunde Fashola, in his keynote address at the event also condemned the high rate of food waste in society, saying that the impact of food waste is not just financial but also environmental.

“Food waste leads to squandering of resources such as fertilisers, pesticides and fuel used for transportation”, he added.

Fashola, who was represented at the event by his deputy, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, noted that the vast amount of food waste going to landfills and creating more methane makes a significant contribution to global warming.

He lamented the staggering amount of food wasted globally, saying, “It is unacceptable and a huge drain on precious resources”.

The governor joined other world leaders to stress the need for everyone to be more aware of the environmental impacts of the food choices they make and be informed on decisions meant to guard against waste.

“If we are able to effectively control food production stages such as harvesting, processing, distribution and consumption, we will have a healthier and hunger-free world”, he said.

He advised retailers, the hospitality industry and restaurants to embrace food waste reduction tips such as carrying out waste audits and product loss analysis for high wastage areas, redesign product packages to avoid waste and offer discounts for near-expiration products.

In Abuja, the FCT minister, Bala Mohammed, on Wednesday advised Nigerians to ensure efficient management of food to achieve food security.

Bala made the call at the celebration of the 2013 World Environment Day.

The minister, who was represented by Aishat Adebayo, the acting director of the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), said that food deserved careful management by all and sundry.

“Food, as one of the most essential and basic necessities of human existence, deserves utmost attention and careful management by all, especially political leaders.

“This is in appreciation of the effect of food security in the promotion of world peace and sustainable development”.

Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa warned people of the state to stop wanton destruction of forests through indiscriminate felling of trees, and bush burning, to check desert encroachment.

Nyako gave the warning on the occasion to commemorate the 2013 World Environment Day in Yola.

“People must stop the wanton destruction of our green forests through indiscriminate felling of trees and brush burning”.

In Kaduna, Andrew Yakubu, group managing director of NNPC, frowned at the level of food being wasted by staff of the corporation.

Yakubu said in a message to mark the World Environment Day that the action was having negative impact on the environment.

Represented by the managing director of Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company, Bolanle Ayodele, the GMD said food wastage amounts to waste of natural resources.