Passage: According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, one-third of food produced for human…
Passage: According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, one-third of food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted globally. Food is lost or wasted throughout the supply chain, from initial agricultural production to final household consumption. The increasing wastage also results in land degradation by about 45%, mainly due to deforestation, unsustainable agricultural practices, and excessive groundwater extraction. The energy spent over wasted food results in about 3.5 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide production every year. Decay also leads to harmful emissions of other gases in the atmosphere. Addressing the loss and wastage of food in all forms is critical to complete the cycle of food efficiency and food sustainability.
Based on the above passage, the following assumptions have been made:
1. The food distribution mechanism needs to be reimagined and made effective to reduce the loss and wastage of food.
2. Ensuring the reduction of wastage and loss of food is a social and moral responsibility of all citizens.
Which of the assumptions given above is/are valid?
1 only
2 only
Both 1 and 2
Neither 1 nor 2
Solution
Assumption 1 is valid: the passage mentions food is lost throughout the supply chain, implying that improving distribution would help reduce wastage. Assumption 2 is invalid: the passage focuses on the environmental and economic impacts of food wastage and does not explicitly pin responsibility on all citizens. Hence assumption 1 only is valid. (Note: Vision IAS marks this with an asterisk, noting that assumption 2 could arguably be considered valid due to the mention of household consumption.)