PANAJI: In response to India's worsening hunger index, Street Providence, led by Donald Fernandes, is actively working to combat both food wastage and hunger across Goa through an innovative food bank program.
According to the 2024 Global Hunger Index, India ranks at 105, indicating that millions of people go to bed hungry, while food waste in the country has surged to nearly 78 million tonnes annually.
"India throws out around 78 million tonnes of food waste every year, yet people are going hungry," Fernandes highlighted. "If there’s food going to waste while people are starving, then something is fundamentally broken."
For the last seven years, Street Providence has collected surplus food to feed the needy. This year, the organization is targeting factory canteens, particularly in Verna Industrial Estate, as a source of fresh, nutritious meals that would otherwise go to waste. "Daily, about 3,000 kilos of fresh factory food is disposed of by canteen contractors in Goa. If we can channel that food to those in need, we can make a real difference," Fernandes stated.
Over the past six months, Street Providence has partnered with nine factories, to rescue approximately 300-400 kilos of fresh food daily. This surplus is then distributed to people in Vasco, where they collect it in metal containers, helping reduce plastic usage and wet waste simultaneously. Fernandes claims this model could be scaled with government support, urging the state to encourage factories to participate.
"We’re appealing to the Goa government to take this seriously," Fernandes said. "With support from the Factory and Boilers and Labour departments, we could expand this model across the state, cutting down waste while feeding the hungry. If companies can pay for the removal of biomedical and chemical waste, why should food “ a precious resource “ be any different?" he added.
