Majority social functions like weddings, social parties in canteens, hotels and family functions spew out considerable amount of food in India. As per several reports, up to 40 per cent of the food produced in India is bound to get wasted. About 21 million tonnes of Indiaʼs entire wheat produce are wasted and 50 per cent of all the food across the world meets the same fate. Such a situation raises a concern that food ‘never reaches the needy’. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Rs 50,000 crore worth of food produced is wasted every year in India. Studying on food wastage is important to address issues relating to hunger, income and food security in developed countries. Food wastage adversely impacts on achieving food security, economic development and environment. Food wastage is also associated with wastage of all the resources used in food production, preparation, transportation, storage and distribution. It is paradoxical to note that poverty, hunger and malnutrition exist in many of the developed countries even after several years of their independence. Food wastage in social and cultural functions poses real threat to food security. Small quantities of poor quality food reaches the underprivileged families due to poor purchasing power and high cost of the food in the market. The quantum of food cooked but wasted in all types of social functions in India is massive. In this context food wastage minimization strategies was worked out for Shivamogga city in the state of Karnataka, India. Accordingly, programmes need to be organised for the benefit of public to minimize food wastage and its implications through mass media, awareness campaign and sign boards at public places to sensitize people about food management. Initiating food bank to collect leftover food and timely handing over to the needy poor people may be arranged by the civil society organisations.

Biography:
Dr. M Sudheendra, born in 1961, did his PhD at Dharwad Agricultural University in Agricultural Extension and he is a recognized Postgraduate teacher for 24 years. He has guided students leading to their Masterʼs degree, organized several training programs as a coordinator and nodal officer and published papers in the reputed journals besides presenting papers in the conferences. Presently Dr. Sudheendra is heading the Department of Agricultural Extension at University of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences, Shivamogga, Karnataka, India.