Food waste is a global challenge from collection to disposal. The problem associated with food waste is on the increase ranging from its discharged, lost, degradation and contamination. Food wastage can be effectively managed through proper storage, purchasing what is needed and giving excess to those in need. The most effective means of managing food waste is through effective sorting at source and recycling for industrial processes for the production of valueadded products, thereby reducing the options of incineration and landfilling. Research has been carried out on food waste for the production of energy and other value-added products. This review aims to provide a brief overview of food waste from the farm gate, retailer, household and the impact of the pandemic in the increase of food waste. The potential strategies of effectively management of food waste both in developed and developing countries are discussed.

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The world’s population is currently growing at an exponential rate, which is estimated to be over 8 billion inhabitants as reported by United Nations on November 15, 2022. According to FAO, 870 million people out of this population do not have enough food to eat, with the vast majority of hungry people (98%) living in developing countries, where almost 15% of the population is undernourished. Furthermore, the world’s population is estimated to come to 9 billion by 2050, which would incur severe food scarcity and would seriously hamper global food security. Food losses, especially post-harvest loss as a result of poor agricultural practices have also been reported to greatly impact the economy, the environment, and the livelihoods of low and medium countries and Sub-Saharan-African. Therefore, realistic options should be established for promoting sustainable agriculture systems, improving nutrition, and achieving food security to end hunger in our nations. This paper elucidates the drivers of food insecurity including food losses, escalating population growth, hunger, and food production, among others, and provided some transformation approaches such as value addition through appropriate and emerging food processing and preservation techniques, application of biotechnological options through genetically modified foods and functional foods consumption and integration of indigenous underutilized nutrient-dense food crops which could serve as all-inclusive and sustainable transformation options for enhanced food and nutrition security, especially in developing countries, which is where the hunger burden and the prevalence of malnutrition and non-communicable diseases are high.

Poverty is regularly defined based on money or income, and living on less than USD 1.25 per day in a country in a given year means to be extremely poor. Although in a real sense, poverty entails multiple deprivations of basic needs including infrastructures, social amenities, basic education, primary health, food and other agricultural products, shelter, clothing, and security. The poor are usually the most vulnerable group of people in any society. They lack the required assets or savings to respond to the issues of life. Such people if not assisted, may remain poor, become poorer, and those close to the poverty line are likely to fall below the line. Food poverty is another measurement of poverty. It is mainly influenced by income, and deprived access to affordable and nutritious food which negatively influences health, economy, and social and psychological life. Food and nutrition are ways of fuelling the body with the required energy and nutrients. They are important devices linking poverty to health. Inadequate or insufficient access to healthy and nutritious food has a significant consequence on a person's nutritional intake and subsequently on health, well-being, and wealth. The vulnerable are individuals or a group of people who are not capable of coping with or resisting series of forces from the environment. They are of different ages, in need of special care, support, or protection. These include young children (below age 10), adolescents (children in transition to becoming adults, 10-19 years), pregnant and nursing women, elderly people (ages 65 and above), and poor or malnourished people, who face burdens of life such as malnutrition, homelessness, poor housing, and poverty.

Malnutrition can be defined as the shortage or surplus/imbalance of energy, protein and other nutrients causing measurable detrimental effects on the body function. It is also the cellular imbalance between the supply of nutrients and energy and the body's demand for them to ensure growth. Malnutrition could be under nutrition which is characterized by stunting, wasting, underweight. It could also be over nutrition which is evidenced in overweight and obesity. Malnutrition can occur as a result of micronutrient deficiency known as hidden hunger and it could also be protein energy malnutrition which results in Kwashiorkor and Marasmus.