They deplore that due to a shortage of workers in the UK, the food is rotten

A survey conducted by the National Farmers Union (NFU) of nearly 200 farmers indicated that About 22 million pounds ($27 million) worth of fruit and vegetables was wasted in the first half of the year in the UKdue to a shortage of labor.

Therefore, they ensure that while the cost of living and especially food is increasing day by day for all Britons, Lots of fresh produce rots in UK fields, such asBecause farmers are unable to attract enough workers to harvest crops.

“It is not ridiculous to waste good, nutritious food in an instant As families across the country struggle to make ends meet due to the rising cost of livingReferred by a statement Tom Bradshaw Vice President of the National Federation of Farmers.

Likewise, they highlighted that at least 40% of those surveyed reported having lost Crops due to lack of workers.

In this sense, the producers, according to the NFU survey, They expect production to decline by another 4.4% in 2023.

Taking into account the above scenario, from the NFU they asked the British government Expansion of the temporary employment program, With the aim of addressing food waste and supporting investment in agriculture as well.

While this is happening in the UK, last month, in July, the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Qu Dongyu, said; IMF Managing Director, Kristalina Georgieva; World Bank Group President David Malpass; Executive Director of the World Food Program (WFP), David Beasley, and Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala They called for urgent action to address the global food security crisis.

According to estimates by the World Food Program, in June 2022 the number of people in the world suffering from acute food insecurity, whose short-term access to food has been restricted to the point where their lives and livelihoods are at risk, to 345 million people in a total of 82 countries.

In addition, about 25 countries have responded to rising food prices by adopting export restrictions that have affected more than 8% of global food trade, representatives of international organizations noted in a joint statement.

And they warned that “all of this is happening at a time when the fiscal space for government action has become severely restricted in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.” Adding that climate change, beyond the short term, is structurally affecting agricultural productivity in many countries.

In this way, they argue that avoiding further setbacks to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) requires short- and long-term actions in four key areas: Providing immediate support to vulnerable groups, facilitating international food supplies and trade, and boosting production and investment in climate-resilient agriculture.

“We call on countries to strengthen safety nets, facilitate trade, and increase production and investment in resilient agriculture,” according to the compiled document, with leaders of international organizations expressing their commitment to work together to support this process through the Global Alliance for Food Security. At the invitation of the Presidency of the Group of Seven and the World Bank.

With information from Agence France-Presse