Image use for representative purpose NEW DELHI: An estimated 931 million tonnes of food, or 17% of total food available to consumers in 2019 globally, went into the waste bins of households, retailers, restaurants and other food services, said the Food Waste Index Report 2021, released by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) on Thursday. The weight of the global food waste roughly equals India’s total production of foodgrain, oilseeds, sugarcane and horticultural produce, put together, in 2019-20. The report shows that most of this waste globally comes from households followed by food services and retail outlets. Times View Many people die of hunger every year across the globe and yet 931 million tonnes of food was wasted the world over in 2019. In India too, where millions survive at subsistence level, tonnes of food is wasted. Experts must suggest ways to get out of this grim paradox or at least minimise it. We also need awareness campaigns on the subject, both by the government and by civil society groups.