The UAE introduced a new initiative to guide food businesses, as well as event hosts, into reducing food wastage through zero-food waste, looking to cut loss by as much as 60%. According to Ne’ma, which is an Emirates Foundation initiative, the publication was on Wednesday and aimed at building on continued efforts by the country to try and fight excessive food loss, which, of course, includes both local as well as imported food.
Ne’ma has been working together with major events since its March 2022 launch for the reduction of food loss such as COP28, ADNEC, and Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week. According to Ne’mas Secretary-General, Khuloud Al Nuwais, these efforts have reduced up to 60% of food waste while it is difficult to get an exact figure of what is wasted. According to her, up to 30-40% of local and imported food products waste at the site of origin in the country, with its imports comprising a major proportion of what the UAE requires.
The guide provides practical steps toward reducing waste, such as having smaller plates at buffets and using messages at food outlets to encourage mindful consumption. Al Nuwais added that the behavioral change aspect is important, encouraging consumers to be more conscious of the food they take and to avoid over-serving.
A good example of how food waste can be reduced successfully was given by Capital Catering, which recovered 400 kg of food last year in ADSW and directed over 1,000 servings to families in need while transforming residual food into natural fertilizer. They intend to reduce food waste to 30% in 2025.
The guide was launched during the Global Food Security Summit, aligning with the UAE’s 2030 vision to cut food waste by 50%. The full guide is available for download on Ne’ma’s website: www.nema.ae.
