Image used for illustrative purpose. Photo: File
A zero-food waste guide designed to assist event organizers and food businesses in curbing food loss was unveiled on Wednesday by Ne’ma. The food loss initiative of the Emirates Foundation, which commenced in March 2022, has been working with significant events such as COP28, Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), and Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) to reduce food waste. According to Khuloud Al Nuwais, Secretary-General of Ne’ma and Chief Executive of Emirates Foundation, they have succeeded in reducing food loss by up to 60 percent. Measuring actual wasted food is challenging, she noted, but between 30 to 40 percent of locally grown and imported food is wasted. “We import 80 to 30 percent of our food, then waste 30% of it — so one third of it on average.” The federal-level collaborations initiated by Ne’ma will pave the way for an accurate food-loss index, aiding in the fight against food waste.
During zero-waste events managed by Ne’ma, perfectly edible food is distributed to those in need, while leftovers are composted and transformed into fertilizers to prevent any food remnants from ending up in landfills. Al Nuwais emphasized the importance of behavioral change: “The guide we just launched is the result of our collaborations over the past two years.” Examples of minimal measures that impact food practices include serving smaller plates at open buffets and placing ‘nudges’ – key messages in food outlets to influence consumer behavior. “Sometimes you see people piling up their plates with food at buffets, and most of it goes to waste. The UAE has a very hospitable culture, with a tradition of buffets and lavish restaurants. We don’t want people to stop enjoying that, but we want them to be conscious consumers,” she explained. “We want to ensure that the food they put on their plates does not go to waste, which is why we have introduced these simple steps and measures.”
The guide advises event planners to pre-plan their menus and control portions, train the catering team on food waste management, and empower chefs to adjust menus when certain items are repeatedly not consumed. One notable success was Capital Catering, which managed to rescue over 400kg of unserved food from going to landfills during ADSW last year; over 1,000 meals were delivered to underprivileged families, while three tonnes of leftovers were converted into 500kg of natural fertilizer. “Working with Ne’ma has been a transformative journey for Capital Catering,” said its Interim CEO Ahmad Shaker. This year, the company has diverted over 4,000 kilogrammes of food waste from landfills and donated 1,862, with more initiatives in the pipeline. “For 2025, we are aiming even higher, targeting to increase our impact by at least 30 percent,” he added.
The Zero-Food Waste event guide was launched during the Global Food Security Summit held in the capital from November 26 to 28. It aligns with the UAE’s 2030 vision to reduce food waste by 50 percent. The guide can be downloaded via the following link: https://nema.ae/en/Publications. Globally, 1.2 billion tonnes of food are lost annually during farm and harvest stages, while 30% of global food production is wasted, the summit heard.
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