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 sufficiency 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?

The correct option is 1 only.

To understand why this is the valid assumption, let us analyze each assumption step-by-step in the context of the provided passage:

Analysis of Assumption 1:
The passage states that "Food is lost or wasted throughout the supply chain, from initial agricultural production to final household consumption." It also concludes that "Addressing the loss and wastage of food in all forms is critical to complete the cycle of food sufficiency and food sustainability." Because the loss occurs throughout the supply chain (which represents the distribution and production mechanism), it is logical to assume that this mechanism needs to be reimagined and made effective to achieve the goal of reducing food loss and wastage. Therefore, Assumption 1 is valid.

Analysis of Assumption 2:
While reducing food waste is indeed a global challenge, the passage focuses on supply chain issues, environmental impacts (land degradation, carbon dioxide emissions), and sustainability. The passage does not mention or imply that it is a "social and moral responsibility of all citizens." An assumption must be directly supportable by the text, not based on external moral beliefs. Thus, Assumption 2 is not a valid assumption based strictly on the passage.

Consequently, only the first assumption is valid.