Solid waste management is a major challenge in sub-Saharan Africa in general, and its food waste component is high and increasing with the rapidly increasing population.
Survey data (class p1) collected from households, hotels, restaurants, schools and produce markets were analysed using descriptive and logistic regression analyses for insights into the types and amounts of food waste, and respondents’ attitudes and practices towards its collection, disposal and alternative uses.
Households produce the highest amounts of food waste compared to institutions (hotels, schools and restaurants) and produce markets. In a week, about 96, 72, and 93% of all the respondents in households, institutions and produce markets respectively experienced food waste at least one to three times.
On average, with a solid waste collection coverage of 45%, households, institutions and markets in Kampala can respectively supply 680, 80, and 8 t of food waste daily. Moulding, poor food storage, food leftovers, food expiry and excess food produce were the major reasons for condemning food to waste.
Over 90% of the respondents recognized food waste as a problem, and as a resource especially for use in livestock feed production, and were willing to consume house crickets raised on feed from food waste.
Lower levels of education (none, primary and secondary levels), unemployment, and being divorced at household level were positively associated with recognizing food waste as a resource [X2 (21, N = 209) = 137.77, p = < 0.0001] and re-use for alternative purposes [X2 (21, N = 209) = 47.44, p = 0.001] by households and institutions [X2 (14, N = 92) = 30.97, p = < 0.019]. Majority of the respondents were willing to donate food waste, especially married people and institutions that have been in existence for a period of 5–10 years.
To read the full article, visit this link: https://sustainenvironres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s42834-023-00195-6
Authors and Affiliations
- Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, Uganda Christian University, Mukono, 31204, UgandaGeoffrey Ssepuuya
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Kyambogo University, Kampala, 10308, UgandaGeoffrey Ssepuuya
- Department of Management and Entrepreneurship, Uganda Christian University, Mukono, 31204, UgandaElsie Nsiyona
- Department of Natural Resource Economics, Busitema University, Namasagali, 20217, UgandaMoses Kakungulu
- Department of Linguistics, English Language Services & Communication Skills, Makerere University, Kampala, 20217, UgandaJane Frances Alowo
- Department of Agriculture, Uganda Christian University, Mukono, 31204, UgandaPaul Nampala
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