Assessing the Impact of Household Food Waste on the Ghanaian Economy from Selected Communities in Accra Metropolitan Area

Every human in Ghana has a fundamental right to be free from hunger and the right to adequate food, this right to adequate food is realized only when every man, woman and child has the physical and economic access at all times to adequate, healthy and nutritious food. Unfortunately, when this is fulfilled, consumers turn to waste food at the household level via methods that could be avoided to enhance food security. This present study examines the extent to which 120 households selected from 12 residential areas in Accra Metropolitan Area contributes to household food waste. Specifically, the socio-economic class that generates the highest waste, percentage composition of waste fraction and per capital generation rate was determined. Results show that average household food waste generation rate was 0.12 kg/person/day, with high income class areas recording the highest generation rate of 0.2 kg/person/day, middle and low income class areas recording 0.1 kg/person/day and 0.06 kg/person/day respectively. Total waste analyzed was 1813.30 kg; high-income areas with high economic activity recorded the highest food waste of 920.10 kg as compared to 369.30 kg, low-income areas and 523.90 kg, middle-income areas. Dairy products with percentage fractional wastage of 28% were recorded as the highest food wasted among all three socio-economic classes.