Nestlé CEO Urges Action on Water Shortages
Published on by Water Network Research, Official research team of The Water Network in Business
Nestlé Group Chairman Called for More Action to be Taken to Reduce Supply Chain Food Waste, Arguing it Would Also Help Address Issues Around Water Shortages
According to Brabeck-Letmathe, the huge amount of food lost or wasted globally contributes significantly to water overuse. Writing in his latest blog, he said: "Present wastage is the equivalent of more than 1,000 cubic kilometres of freshwater abstracted per year, i.e. close to 25% of total estimated global withdrawals for human use in 2005."
According to various reports, about one-third of today's food losses occur in advanced economies and two-thirds in developing countries. As edie has reported previously,this waste is accentuated by food retailersimposing strict standards on suppliers relating to the size, colour and shape of certain crops and fruit.
Brabeck-Letmathe maintains that these type of 'negative trends' need to be urgently addressed and linked more holistically to water issues.
Improving infrastructure
To start addressing the issue, Brabeck-Letmathe said that within advanced economies key stakeholder groups such as farmers, traders, manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers should 'carefully look at their supply chain and processes'.
Meanwhile in developing countries, there is an urgent need to improve infrastructure. "This will be a key item on the agenda of the G20 meeting of heads of state and government in Australia this year," Brabeck-Letmathe revealed.
Forced consumption
Again, he noted a role for industry - not only to reduce any remaining waste in operations, but to help modernise the food supply chain, in view of the increasing number of people who will be living in cities and the lengthier transport times this will involve to get from farm to fork.
Citing milk transportation as an example, Brabeck-Letmathe said that Studies by the Food & Agriculture Organisation show an 18% loss in traditional fresh milk supply chains to urban centres in developing countries, due to spillage and spoilage.
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