The National Report on Food Waste and Rescue is being published today (Tuesday) for the eighth time by Leket Israel and BDO, in cooperation with the Ministry of Environmental Protection and for the first time in cooperation with the Ministry of Health. According to the report's estimates, the volume of food waste in Israel in 2022 stands at 2.6 million tons worth about NIS 23.1 billion, constituting about 37% of the volume of food production in Israel. Of these, 50% of the food is rescuable, i.e., edible food, totaling over 1 million tons and worth about NIS 8.1 billion.
Chefs for the Needy: Michal Ansky, Avi Biton and Oren Acido (Archive) | Courtesy of Leket Israel
According to the data, 1.4 million people live in food insecurity, i.e., lack of regular access to adequate food. Food waste also has a high environmental cost. *According to the report's data, in 2022, 2.6 million tons of food were thrown away in Israel (along the entire value chain, from farmers to end consumers).
The environmental cost of food waste is estimated at NIS 3.9 billion per year*, and food waste in Israel is responsible for 6% of greenhouse gas emissions in Israel. Reducing food waste will make it possible to save many resources of energy, water, land, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and pollutants into the air, and reduce costs for waste treatment.
Poor people in Israel. The gaps are only growing, photo: Rafael Ben-Ari
The problem of food insecurity is a problem that exists routinely in the State of Israel, but it is expected to worsen due to the "Iron Swords" war and its economic effects. Among other things, the effects of the war led to significant damage to the Israeli agricultural sector, while increasing the risk of food waste and an increase in the prices of agricultural produce.
About 30% of Israel's agricultural land is located on the front line of the war. The Gaza envelope, known as "Israel's granary of grain," contains about 20% of all agricultural land, while the conflict line in the north is home to another 10% of Israel's agricultural land.
Food for the needy, Photo: Leket Israel
All of these exacerbate the problem of food insecurity, and hence the expected increase in the number of people in need of food in general, and in particular the number of people who are unable to consume a healthy food basket. According to a special chapter included in the report that summarizes for the first time the health consequences of food waste in Israel, the excess health cost to the economy from food insecurity in Israel in 2022 stands at NIS 5.2 billion, which constitutes about 5% of national health expenditures.
Gidi Grouch, Leket Israel's CEO: "The current crisis emphasizes even more strongly the importance of independent food security for all citizens of the country and for disadvantaged populations in particular. Today, more than ever, we don't have the privilege of losing good, high-quality, nutritious and healthy food."
Guy Smet, Director General of the Ministry of Environmental Protection: "Preventing food waste and rescuing it will strengthen Israel's resilience in routine times and emergencies. The Ministry of Environmental Protection is currently working together with Leket Israel to rescue food, which during the emergency period is transferred to the security forces, evacuated populations and the needy."
In Rahat, packing food for those who need it, photo: Dudu Greenspan
Ronit Endwalt, Head of the Nutrition Division in the Public Health Division at the Ministry of Health: "Food insecurity in Israel is a phenomenon described with increasing prevalence in recent years, and unfortunately we expect it to be even more common in 2024. Saving healthy food and supplying it to needy populations can be a major factor in reducing this phenomenon."
Chen Herzog, BDO Chief Economist and editor of the report: "In the past year, food worth NIS 23.1 billion was thrown away, the health damage as a result of food insecurity reached NIS 5.2 billion, in addition to environmental damage of almost NIS 4 billion. Every shekel invested in food rescue generates an economic benefit of NIS 10.6."
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