Michael David, a prominent climate and environmental advocate and Team Lead for the Global Initiative for Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation, has issued a warning about the distressing levels of food waste during Christmas and other festive periods in Nigeria, despite prevailing economic challenges.
In an interview in Abuja on Monday, as reported by NAN, David highlighted the substantial impact of the amount of food wasted during Christmas on global warming, in addition to the financial resources being squandered. He emphasized that the disposal of food waste in landfills contributes to the production of methane, a greenhouse gas more potent than carbon dioxide (CO2).
David called on Nigerians to consider the energy and natural resources expended in the entire food supply chain, including processing, transportation, storage, and cooking. He remarked, ‘Many of us don’t think about the quantity of food we waste daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly, with an increase in tonnes of food waste during festivities, including Christmas. Despite hardship, food waste at festivities is very alarming at Christmas, as many of the foods prepared will never be eaten.'”