The Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA) has launched an integrated strategy to reduce food loss and waste (FLW) across the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
Aligned with the UAE National Food Loss and Waste Reduction Initiative “Ne’ma,” the strategy was unveiled alongside a public awareness campaign under the slogan “Together Blessings Last”.
The campaign aims to promote positive behaviour among all segments of society to reduce FLW.
The strategy is based on five core pillars, from which numerous initiatives are launched to address FLW practices.
It encourages the community to adopt positive behaviours, reduce food consumption, and conserve natural resources.
The pillars include assessing the current situation, developing regular loss and waste measurement capabilities, setting clear policy directions and targets, and developing a legislative system to support the reduction of food waste.
The strategy also emphasises community engagement and consumer behaviour change through an extensive awareness and education campaign aimed at creating a cultural shift in shopping and consumption practices and awareness of food loss.
Further, it aims to positively influence the market through proper planning of food supply, improving supply and demand management plans, increasing the efficiency of food use and improving recycling and treatment infrastructure.
Finally, the fifth pillar focuses on the commitment of the relevant food production and trade establishments through action plans to reduce food waste, and seeks to promote innovative technologies and use innovation and technology to minimise FLW.
The strategy aims to reaffirm the commitment to CSR principles and efficient management of national resources, in line with the UAE’s national values. It also aims to use modern innovation and technology to reduce the estimated one-third of available food that is lost or wasted, and to mitigate the resulting economic losses.
It focuses on building and developing national capacities to continuously measure, monitor and assess FLW, encouraging positive behaviours to reduce waste, and increasing economic returns to farmers and food producers while making more food available for consumption.
The strategy includes many initiatives and programmes, including the awareness campaign under the theme “Together Blessings Last” aimed at changing food production and consumption behaviour from farm to table, and implementing training programmes for workers in food agricultural establishments.
Additionally, it includes awareness campaigns targeting various segments of society, urging them to rationalise consumption and reduce waste to ensure food security sustainability, as good practices in handling food help to reduce food spoilage, which is one of the most important causes of FLW throughout the food chain.
His Excellency Saeed Al Bahri Al Ameri, Director General of ADAFSA, said: “In light of our firm commitment to achieving sustainable agricultural development and its related economic, social, and environmental goals, we announce the launch of an integrated strategy to reduce loss and waste in the context of Plan Abu Dhabi, and within the framework of the approved foundational plan in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. This strategy is part of our strategic plan, which enjoys direct support from His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President of the UAE, Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the Presidential Court, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority”.
His Excellency added that the strategy to reduce loss and waste at the level of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi includes a comprehensive set of procedures and initiatives that target all aspects of the food chain, from production to distribution and consumption.
“We are committed to achieving the goals of this strategy through a variety of initiatives and programmes, including awareness campaigns and training for workers in agricultural and food businesses. Community awareness campaigns under the theme ‘Together Blessings Last’ aim to promote positive and sustainable food consumption behaviours and reduce waste. We are confident that this strategy will effectively contribute to achieving food security, reducing the environmental and economic impact of food loss, and realising a more sustainable and efficient food future,” He added.