As purchased or harvested, food may have both edible and inedible portions. A lot of food waste is generated from both edible and inedible portions of the foods while cultivated, harvested, processed, consumed, stored, transported, etc. daily in different settings locally, nationally, and globally.
Food waste generated from edible portions of foods may be used for alternative purposes-both foods and non-food purposes**. To increase and support ongoing activities to use, we may need to adopt more feasible plans for short, mid, or long-term plans. As a result, we may generate new ways or tools and expand the use, both intentionally and unintentionally use, of waste generated from edible portions of foods.
On the other hand, there is rare or often no use of inedible portions of foods in common practices. Usually, they are considered useless, having no value. So, everyone discarded it most frequently. In addition, there is also less, or no use of food waste generated from inedible portions of foods. So, it is a huge challenge to use the waste of inedible foods by mass people. To motivate them we need appropriate approaches to change their KAP considering both nutritional and non-nutritional aspects of it.
Among different portions and wastes generated from inedible portions of foods, fruit seeds are particularly important and warrant attention due to having huge opportunities. We may collect many seeds from fruits throughout the year. If we count the number of fruit seeds discarded compared to those collected each year, then we may notice a huge gap. It also needs to mention that fruit seeds grow naturally if they get suitable environments. At the same time, a lot of fruit seeds are destroyed every year.
Fruit seeds which are usually discarded with common wastes may be collected, sorted, and used to grow seedlings. Then those may be used to grow plants for personal, community, and other purposes. Thus, we may be able to use a less or no-cost but effective plan for long-term plantation programs and policy. As a result, we may have more plants and fruits in the future. In addition, there may be opportunities for other benefits such as-
- Fruit seeds may be used as foods when collected and sorted and processed in fresh conditions as unconventional sources of nutrients when there are no or rare uses of that by an individual, culture, or location.
- It may reduce the burden of waste collection systems if fruit seeds are collected in a separate bin instead of the common bins used nowadays.
- It may create an earning opportunity as well as community engagement of diverse groups of people. Thus, it creates or strengthens bonding among family or community members.
- It may protect nature and supply nutrients to different living animals including humans.
- Locally available fruit production will be increased. Thus, the supply chain will be boosted to meet both domestic and international demands for fruits.
- Earning opportunities will be increased from fruit exports.
- Informal employment will be generated.
- The real earnings will be increased by having their fruit trees.
- Individual and community fruit consumption will be increased.
- The cost of raising domestic animals may be reduced by having fruit plant leaves.
- The flow of both economic and noneconomic activities like-Nutrient circulation will expand and sustain.
- One may be highly motivated for a huge plantation but fail due to the limitations of funding. This may help him or her to fulfill his or her dream, etc.
As a policy option, we may put fruit seed collection bins along with common waste bins in various places. In-home, office, restaurants, transport, etc. we may place bins to collect bins as well to support ongoing seed collection drives. To make it a successful event, community participation is necessary. At the same time, both government and non-government support and strong will are needed.
Fruit seed collection bins may be a simple but effective technique to grow and distribute seedlings. It may be a long-term approach for improving food and nutrition security for all types of animals-nationally and globally.
Let’s plan today to use at least one fruit seed to grow a seedling for personal use or donation purposes. Think about the number of plants in the next ten years.
(The total world and Bangladeshi populations are 8,045 and 173 million respectively in 2023.
Reference: A30 Population globally and nationally 2023 – Search (bing.com))
KAP=Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice
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- Food Bins: Huge Opportunity In Bangladesh To Address Food And Nutrition Security Of Mass People | Learn Nutrition Online (learnutritiononline.com)
- Proper Uses Of Wasted Foods: Problem Leads To Prospects | Learn Nutrition Online (learnutritiononline.com)
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More…
John C. Trimble: Want to grow healthy food? Start with your lawn | TED Talk
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