Original Research Article
Volume and Content Estimate of Household Food Waste: A Strategy for Reducing Food Insecurity in Lagos State, Nigeria
*Adedayo, Vide |
Adeaga, Olusegun |
Akomolafe, Daniel |
Article Number: DRJAFS17559199
DOI: https://doi.org/10.26765/DRJAFS17559199
ISSN: 2354-4147
Vol.8 (6), pp. 208-216, June 2020
Copyright © 2020
Author(s) retain the copyright of this article
Abstract
This paper examines the volume and content of food waste at different household levels in Lagos. Based on the existing housing estate structure, a pre-survey exercise was carried out to delineate the study area into three socio-economic classes (high, medium, and low) in the Surulere Local Government Area. In all, sixty households were selected with a sampling of 20 households in each of the household classes. Questions focusing on food waste characteristics, household food waste management and factors responsible for food waste were administered. Samples of food waste were collected with bins laid with polythene bags for seven days in six households, two in each class. Collected food wastes were sorted, measured and recorded. The confidence interval was used to estimated range around the mean to generalize the food waste population in addition to adopting descriptive statistics for the analysis. The results show a near perfect representation between the Global average and Lagos food waste estimate. Rice had the highest monthly waste potentials in all classes with 36.45%, followed by bread at with 14.22% and seafood with 3.87%. Lack of sufficient electricity supply was found to be the influential factor in food waste in the study area (40%). The paper concludes that the strategy to reduce food waste must inculcate all influencing factors in order to achieve considerable sustainable food security. Inclusiveness of food waste issues in food security framework is therefore recommended.
Keywords: Content, estimate, food waste, socio-economicReceived: May 30, 2020 Accepted: June 25, 2020 Published: June 30, 2020