Food Bank for the Poor, Sangolda, Goa, under the aegis of Street Providence Trust, organised a protest at Azad Maidan, Panaji, Goa, on 14th October 2022.
This protest is to draw the attention of the director of the FDA to the fact that every day more than 5000 kg of excess fresh food is being thrown into the dustbin by corporate canteens and other food points across Goa.
Food Bank for the Poor, Sangolda, is eager to pick up all this extra food through its volunteers located across Goa. However for this to be a reality, the FDA director needs to invite all stakeholders and Food Bank for the Poor, Sangolda, and work out the modalities.
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), Goa, of which the director of the FDA is the head in Goa, started an all-India initiative called Food Sharing Alliance so that excess food is not thrown in bins but given to the needy.
Since registering on the FSSAI portal, Food Bank for the Poor, Sangolda, has been requesting the FDA director through letters to implement this initiative with no concrete actions being taken.
To date excess fresh food continues to be thrown into the dustbin while hungry impoverished families and their undernourished children beg for a decent meal every day.
The right to food is a basic human right, and Food Bank for the Poor, Sangolda, strives hard to ensure that no person goes to bed hungry, especially when there is so much excess edible food available.
The Food Bank’s fight is against poverty and hunger, not against any individual, so we appeal to the director of the FDA to bring to the table all stakeholders to share their excess food which Food Bank for the Poor, Sangolda, is eager to collect and distribute.