From Waste to Welfare: The Intersection of Food Sustainability, Security, and the Right to Food

Background: Technological advances have raised significant environmental concerns, with the concept of 'planetary boundaries' highlighting the risks of surpassing sustainable limits. Food systems significantly contribute to human environmental footprints, and reducing food waste - comprising one-third of global food production - is essential for mitigating these threats. Beyond sustainability, food waste directly undermines the right to food, as vast quantities of edible resources are discarded while millions suffer from food insecurity. This study explores the relationship between food waste, environmental sustainability, and strategies to uphold the fundamental right to adequate nutrition globally. Methods: A scoping review was conducted using the PubMed database in June ۲۰۲۴, identifying ۱۳ relevant English-language articles, which informed the current study. Results: Food waste not only depletes resources and exacerbates environmental degradation but also represents a systematic failure in ensuring universal access to food. In low-income countries, technological limitations lead to supply chain inefficiencies, while high-income countries experience waste at distribution and consumption levels due to supply-demand mismatches. Industrialization, urbanization, and globalization have intensified waste through population growth and shifting consumption patterns. Additionally, metabolic food waste, resulting from excessive calorie intake and nutrition-related health issues, further violates ethical and public health principles. Given that food waste could theoretically sustain ۲ billion people without increasing production, addressing this issue is critical in realizing the right to food as a universal human entitlement. Discussion: The United Nations aims to halve food waste by ۲۰۳۰, recognizing it as a pivotal factor in global food security and human rights. Studies advocate for prevention, redistribution, recycling, composting, and supporting a circular bioeconomy. Equitable access to food requires effective policies, including educational initiatives for