UAE refreshes strategy to reduce food waste by 50%

Wam

The UAE has launched an action plan to reduce food waste by 50 percent by 2030, minister of climate change and environment Mariam Almheiri said.

At Cop28, which will be hosted in Dubai later this month, the UAE is prioritising the transformation of food and agricultural systems.

Earlier this year, the Emirate launched the Cop28 food systems and agricultural agenda, a plan to transform global food systems and ensure long-term sustainability.

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“The importance of addressing food loss and waste is a strategic imperative for the world,” Almheiri was quoted as saying by the UAE state-owned Wam news agency.

The minister said one-third of food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted globally, citing the World Food Programme.

She added that all the food produced but never eaten would be sufficient to feed two billion people.

Through the Cop28 food systems and agricultural agenda, the UAE aims to bring together businesses, farmers, producer organisations and other non-state actors to drive progress across production, consumption, food loss and waste.

“As part of mobilising national leadership, we are extending a global call to action, inviting all countries to ratify the Emirates declaration on resilient food systems, sustainable agriculture, and climate action,” Almheiri added.

She explained that the UAE is looking at how to limit food wastage and the carbon impact of the food served at Cop28.

“To achieve this, we have launched a sustainable catering strategy, which aims to demonstrate the potential of delivering sustainable food at scale,” the minister said.