While several arguments can be made about what causes hunger, food shortage isn’t one of them. In fact, enough food is produced to feed all the hungry and poor in the world. Food wastage is the main cause of global hunger. This happens in both, developed and developing countries.

In developing countries, lack of technology and faulty equipment results in food wastage, most of which happens before the food is even brought to the market or sold. In developed countries, wastage is common in restaurants, at home, in supermarkets, etc. Expired products, unused products, and hoarding all contribute to this.

In addition to this, there are economic factors that lead to food waste. High supply can lower price, and often, food is dumped into the ocean and thrown away on purpose just so the remaining food can be priced higher.

When fruits aren’t picture perfect and round, they are often just tossed away. Bruised peaches and other slightly damaged fruits are thrown away instead of being sold because of the demand for “perfect” products. This doesn’t just take place in stores – it’s common on farms as well. To save money on extra labour and machinery, imperfect products sometimes aren’t even picked. If they are, blemished food can be left in a warehouse or barn to rot as an easy discarding option. All of these factors and more contribute to poverty and global hunger.