The country is based on the people, and food is of paramount importance to the people.
The Action Plan for Grain Conservation and Anti Food Waste, recently issued by the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council, was released to the public on the 25th. It proposes to firmly establish the awareness that increasing production must be achieved through conservation, and that conservation is the key to increasing production. We must persist in long-term efforts, constantly focus on key areas and key links, and effectively reduce grain and food waste.
Why is food conservation so important?
According to relevant statistics, the current global food chain loss and waste rate exceeds one-third of the food supply. Saving food and opposing waste are common challenges facing the world.
The relevant person in charge of the National Development and Reform Commission said that since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, China has deeply implemented the comprehensive saving strategy, promulgated and implemented the Anti Food Waste Law of the People's Republic of China and the Food Safety and Security Law of the People's Republic of China, vigorously carried out the "Clean Your Plate Campaign", and made positive progress in promoting the whole chain of food saving and loss reduction. At the same time, it should be noted that the data foundation for grain loss and food waste in China is weak, and the statistical survey and evaluation system is not yet perfect. Especially in the catering consumption process, there is serious waste such as business banquets and red and white celebrations, and bad habits such as overeating and excessive ordering still exist.
Han Jingbo, Director of the Agricultural Price Cost Department at the Price Cost and Certification Center of the National Development and Reform Commission, analyzed that due to the basic national conditions of small-scale agricultural production and a large population, China's grain losses and food waste mainly occur at the front end (i.e. production link) and back end (i.e. consumption link) of the industrial chain.
In the production process, grain losses are mainly caused by factors such as production technology or environmental conditions. The action plan deploys grain conservation and reduction actions.
Professor Wu Laping from the School of Economics and Management at China Agricultural University stated that grain conservation and loss reduction involve the entire chain from the field to the dining table. The action plan deploys the conservation and loss reduction work in the production, storage, transportation, and processing processes in stages, and particularly emphasizes the role of technology and standards.
In the consumption process, food waste is more often caused by insufficient awareness of conservation or unhealthy consumption habits. The action plan targets the persistent problem of food waste, deploying the national awareness raising campaign for food conservation, the anti waste campaign in the catering industry, and the anti waste campaign in unit canteens.
According to Wu Laping's analysis, in order to enhance the awareness of food conservation among the whole population, the action plan mainly focuses on two levels: "family and individual" and "whole society". For families and individuals, advocate for balanced nutrition, scientific and moderate healthy eating habits, continue to promote the transformation of customs and habits, and curb behaviors such as excessive extravagance and waste; For the whole society, integrating food conservation and anti food waste into citizen conventions, village regulations, and industry norms, and incorporating them into the construction of civilized cities, civilized villages and towns, civilized units, civilized families, and civilized campuses.
The waste problem still exists in the catering industry. The action plan will deploy industry guidance, restraint and self-discipline, deepen the "Clean Your Plate Campaign", and promote self-discipline in the industry:
Guide catering service operators to strengthen reminders for ordering in moderation according to demand, clearly label and reasonably allocate dishes and staple food specifications and quantities, actively promote small portion meals, and proactively remind leftover food to be packaged; Strictly implement the regulations on clear pricing; Promote the resource utilization and harmless treatment of kitchen waste
Centered around the anti waste action of unit canteens, the action plan standardizes the anti waste work of government agencies, schools, and enterprise canteens, clarifies the comprehensive implementation of the effectiveness evaluation and reporting system for anti food waste work in government canteens, etc; Implement the centralized dining and meal accompaniment system for primary and secondary schools, as well as kindergartens, and encourage university canteens to implement weighing and meal collection; Guide state-owned enterprises to explore the establishment of a system linking food waste with the salary and performance of canteen management personnel and logistics personnel.
Strengthening statistical investigation is the foundation and prerequisite for doing a good job in food conservation and anti food waste work. The action plan proposes to establish a statistical investigation system, standard specifications, and indicator system for food loss and food waste; Carry out special statistical surveys in different fields, explore the assessment of food waste in households and retail links, and encourage and support catering service network platforms to carry out food waste assessment for takeout.
Saving food and opposing waste require perseverance and the efforts of the entire society.
In terms of strengthening organizational implementation, the action plan proposes to promote food conservation and anti food waste work in a normalized and long-term manner. In terms of increasing publicity efforts, the action plan proposes to strengthen public opinion supervision, expose food waste behaviors, and strictly prohibit the production, release, and dissemination of programs or audio and video information that promote food waste behaviors such as overeating.
The relevant person in charge of the National Development and Reform Commission stated that in the next step, they will work together with relevant departments to coordinate and arrange key tasks, refine and decompose target tasks, and continuously achieve new results in promoting food conservation and anti food waste work.