Less Than Half of Farm-Grown Calories End Up on Plates

Swift Summary

• In 2020, the world produced enough calories to feed 15 billion people, but only 50% reached peopleS plates.
• Rising meat and biofuel production are major contributors to the inefficiency of calorie distribution.
• Global calorie production increased by 24% between 2010 and 2020, yet calories available for consumption rose only by 17%.
• Livestock consume significant portions of calories; beef cattle are especially inefficient compared to chickens or other animals. Beef alone accounts for substantial loss in food energy conversion efficiency.
• Biofuels like biodiesel and ethanol accounted for another 5% loss in caloric availability, with palm oil usage being a key contributor (34% increase in use for biodiesel).
• Food waste further exacerbates lost calories, particularly animal-based foods like beef due to their high input resource cost.

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Indian Opinion Analysis

The study underscores inefficiencies within global food systems that intersect with rising meat consumption and biofuel usage-issues that resonate with India’s own agricultural challenges given its large population dependent on grassroots-level farming strategies. For India-a country grappling with malnutrition-prioritizing food efficiency over resource-intensive practices such as growing feed crops specifically for livestock could align its policy authorities towards optimal solutions benefiting human nutrition directly.

Additionally, reducing dependence on biofuels from farm resources like palm oil could also be considered where India shares similar export/import conflicts aligning abroad markets via cash-crops therefore impacting domestic policymaking cross-energy reliance economy long term enduring strategy route serious climate packages reforms etc