Dubai Municipality has announced that it has signed an MoU with Majid Al Futtaim – Retail with the aim of ensuring the sustainable provision of strategic food commodities in Dubai’s local markets.
Speaking about this, Alia Al Harmoodi, Acting CEO of the Environment, Health, and Safety Agency, said: “The agreement will support Majid Al Futtaim – Retail in strengthening the flexibility, readiness, and preparedness of the emirate’s supply chain to address challenges and crises. This will be achieved through efficient coordination and sharing of strategic food commodity data on the Food Security Platform. The objective is to ensure that all members of society have access to healthy, safe, nutritious, and affordable food, even in times of crisis and emergencies.”
Indeed, the strategic partnership with Majid Al Futtaim – Retail, which has the exclusive franchise to operate Carrefour in the UAE, outlines the provision of technical requirements for electronic connectivity regarding strategic food commodity data within the food security platform.
Further, it monitors the challenges and constraints that impact the supply chains of these commodities.
This agreement also aims to improve coordination and proactive communication between both parties regarding whether the supply of these food commodities is inadequate or affected, to enhance decision-making and preparedness to address the risks associated with food security crises and emergencies, further mitigating shortages, and enabling expedited responses.
Awareness programs will also run to promote best practices in support of sustainable food security.
Alia Al Harmoodi, Acting CEO of the Environment, Health, and Safety Agency, and Jean-Luc Graziato, Chief Commercial Officer of Majid Al-Futtaim -Retail, signed the MoU on the first day of the Gulfood Exhibition.
Jean-Luc Graziato, Chief Commercial Officer of Majid Al-Futtaim – Retail, commented: “Majid Al Futtaim – Retail places great importance on food security as a key component of our sustainability strategy. We are delighted to collaborate with Dubai Municipality in creating a future that is more sustainable, healthier, and safer for our valued customers.”
“This agreement will help enhance Carrefour’s leading position as a key provider of essential products in the UAE. Our data accurately represents consumer needs and preferences, supporting our future vision to provide better customer service. In addition, this data will assist Dubai Municipality in implementing strategies to strengthen food security efforts within the Emirate,” Graziato added.
Dubai Municipality has shared that it will participate in Gulfood 2024, which will be held from February 19 to 23 at Dubai World Trade Centre.
Dubai Municipality said the event, which is set to host over 5,500 exhibitors, will serve as a platform for the Municipality to showcase its food safety and quality efforts in the Emirate of Dubai.
Further, H.E. Dawoud Al Hajri, Director General of Dubai Municipality, said that the exhibition will be an opportunity to shed light on the Municipality’s efforts to create a sustainable food system in Dubai while safeguarding communities from food risks.
H.E. Al Hajri said: “During our participation at Gulfood Exhibition, we will showcase our efforts in guaranteeing food safety and quality as well as our cutting-edge digital services that facilitate import, export, and registration operations for food products and shipments. These digital services contribute to enhancing the availability of flexible, sustainable, and integrated food supply chains. It also enhances our efforts in educating food enterprises, traders, and suppliers about the most recent safety standards, food specifications, and environmental sustainability, thereby ensuring their implementation.”
During Gulfood, the Municipality will review the Dubai Food Systems Excellence Program, which recognises the best food establishments in the application of integrated standards of food safety, nutrition, environmental sustainability, community responsibility, digitisation, and innovation.
Dubai Municipality will further review its services for food merchants and suppliers, which offers them access to the IRS System for Import, Export, and Registration Services to streamline import and export procedures and track food products.
The Municipality will also promote practices that minimise food loss and waste in the Emirate and strive to bolster customer understanding of the regulations, processes, and transactions associated with food shipments.
Business France, the national agency supporting the international development of the French economy, has shared that 96 French companies are set to exhibit at Gulfood in Dubai from 19 to 23 February 2024.
These companies will be spread across four specialised pavilions: Beverages in Za’abeel 2, Dairy in Hall 1, Meat in Hall 3, and World Food in Sheikh Saeed hall 2, where Business France (stand S2-B70) will introduce its dedicated marketplace.
Business France noted that it will be showcasing examples of sustainable practices, organic farming, and cutting-edge food technology.
Likewise, it noted that it will present a selection of Halal-certified products, French-Middle Eastern fusion cuisine, and gluten-free and low-calorie offerings.
Further, for the first time, the French Pavilion is presenting Business France Marketplace, a platform designed to work as the one-stop shop for businesses to connect with French suppliers in the food and beverage industries and beyond.
The “Taste France” Pavilion will also collaborate with a “renowned” influencer, with a focus on “Healthy”, “Gourmet”, and “Sustainable” Food” it was shared.
Speaking about France’s participation, Axel Baroux, French Trade & Invest Commissioner, said: “Our participation at Gulfood 2024 embodies the strong synergy between France and the UAE, transcending mere trade to represent our shared visions for quality, sustainability, and innovation in the food sector. This event signifies our ongoing commitment to enriching our trade relations and fostering future collaborations.”
France pavilions are supported by Bretagne Commerce International, CCI International Grand Est, Dev’up Centre-Val de Loire, Food ‘Loire, Evian; Valrhona and Café Richard.
A new report from the Food System Economics Commission (FSEC), the most comprehensive economic study of its type, has found that moving to a more sustainable global food system could be transformative for both human and planet health while also unlocking benefits of up to 10 trillion USD per year.
Specifically, the report notes that the ‘Food System Transformation’ pathway could result in undernutrition being eradicated by 2050, and cumulatively 174 million lives saved from premature death due to diet-related chronic disease.
On top of these global health benefits, under the new model, food systems could become net carbon sinks by 2040, helping to limit global warming to below 1.5 degrees by the end of the century.
It would also protect an additional 1.4 billion hectares of land, almost halving nitrogen surplus from agriculture, and reversing biodiversity loss.
Further, 400 million farm workers across the globe could earn a sufficient income.
Continuing under the business-as-usual avenue, comparatively, would mean that by 2050, food insecurity will leave 640 million people (including 121 million children) underweight in some parts of the world, while obesity will increase by 70 per cent globally.
This continuation of harmful practices would also mean that food systems will continue to drive a third of global greenhouse gas emissions, which will contribute to 2.7 degrees of warming by the end of the century compared to pre-industrial periods.
Likewise, food production, it notes, will become increasingly vulnerable to climate change, with the likelihood of extreme events dramatically increasing.
Read the full report here.
PepsiCo Egypt recently celebrated the fourth harvest season of the potato crop, as part of the “She Feeds the World” program.
The program began back in 2020, a collaboration with the Ministry of Social Solidarity and the CARE Egypt Foundation, supported by PepsiCo Foundation, the company’s philanthropic arm.
The program aims to empower rural women in the agricultural sector, foster self-sufficiency and economic empowerment, as well as improve the living conditions of citizens and developing the rural community.
PepsiCo Egypt shared that it aims to support 390,000 individuals by empowering 10,000 female farmers in the governates of Beheira, Giza, Minya, and Beni Suef through the program.
The current season saw a development in the program’s framework in terms of the quality of crops, with an expansion of the scope of work to include a larger number of beneficiaries.
“The female farmers participating in the “SFtW” program successfully overcame numerous challenges and obstacles, which empowered them to become entrepreneurs, having demonstrated their competence in the agricultural sector by successfully completing the full work cycle of producing high-quality potatoes. This encompassed acquiring seeds, cultivating the crops, and selling them to various suppliers, including one of the main suppliers of Chipsy Egypt,” the company said.
Mohamed Shelbaya, CEO of PepsiCo Egypt & North Africa, commented: “In Egypt, we are implementing one of the largest agricultural programs in PepsiCo Global, through which we cultivate 40,000 acres. Our plan in Egypt aims to achieve 100% of our direct potato supply with 100% Egyptian hands, in line with the global guidelines for sustainable farming practices (SFP). We are proud that over 90% of the potatoes we produce in Egypt are from sustainable sources. As for the “SFtW”, we have achieved more than 106% of the targeted beneficiaries of the program, reaching over 413,176 beneficiaries compared to the planned target of 390,000 individuals.”
The program also supported the highest number of women managing land themselves this year, reaching a total of 148 female farmers.
Further, through the “SFtW” economic empowerment program, a total of 1,955 women have been trained to access new income-generating opportunities, and 1,029 women have been integrated into value chains of artichokes, okra, grapes, and potatoes.
Additionally, 14,627 women have joined the Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLA) out of the targeted 10,000 women.
The program, it was shared, has also provided training to female farmers on agricultural practices and best irrigation practices through field business development schools established by CARE Egypt Foundation, working on demonstration fields for modern irrigation systems.
As a result, 624.95 million litres of water have been saved in Minya governorate so far.
In a world where avocados and lettuce travel more than most of us did pre-pandemic, it’s time to ponder: Is our salad’s air mileage racking up more points than our frequent flyer cards? If we peel back the layers of our global food supply chain, we can see a confusing dance of logistics that, while impressive, is certainly not sustainable.
The UAE, a globally admired country of innovation, imports 90% of its food. An impressive number, but also a bit like hosting a potluck where everyone brings a dish from a different continent. These globe-trotting groceries are not just burning fuel but also losing their nutrients and freshness faster than is ideal.
Other GCC countries are unwittingly adding to the food waste conundrum, with Bahrain and Saudi Arabia tossing 132 and 105 kg of food per person annually. The rest of the GCC are not far behind at 95 kg. This is the equivalent of each person eating away more than their body weight every year. Meanwhile, in Sub-Saharan Africa, food waste per capita barely fills a grocery bag, averaging 5-10 kg.
This isn’t just a tale of a few ‘too-ugly-to-sell’ veggies. Globally, this wastage translates into a daily loss of 400 to 500 calories per person in developing countries and a whopping 1,500 in developed ones. It’s like cooking a feast and then accidentally dropping it on the floor – daily. And cooking those feasts heats up the planet also. The average of 50% of food that goes to waste globally emits greenhouse gasses to the extent that if ranked as a country, it would be the third largest polluter.
The food wastage drama has three main villains: inefficient production, supply chain wastage, and domestic food waste. In the UAE, the cost of this is a blockbuster, with $3.5 billion vanishing into thin air (or rather, landfills) annually due to food waste.
The good news is that this story also has its heroes: hydroponics, aeroponics, and vertical farming innovation. GCC countries are rolling up their sleeves, for example, with Saudi Arabia investing $665 million in local tech-enabled agriculture, the UAE and the U.S. joining forces in the ambitious Agriculture Innovation Mission, and all major cities in the region turbocharging their multimillion-dollar farming tech innovations and initiatives.
High-tech farms are eye-catching but only address part of the problem. They’re great for bringing more food production closer and requiring significantly less water, but not necessarily the best at addressing food waste and nutrient loss at the grocery store, hospitality services, or consumer end. They’re generally just one step closer. But not close enough. The UAE is making great strides in successfully aligning the booming hospitality and food and beverage sector with its food security agenda. Unveiling a roadmap to reduce food loss and waste by 50 percent by 2030, this marks a significant step towards achieving food security, sustainable consumption, and a circular economy. The ‘Ne’ma Food Loss and Waste Reduction Roadmap’ was announced during the fourth National Dialogue on Food Security, organised by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) in collaboration with Ne’ma, the National Food Loss and Waste Initiative in November 2023, ahead of the COP28 climate summit held in Dubai in December 2023.
Corporate and government initiatives aside, we can also talk about the long-forgotten tradition of growing food at home, the underdog of this tale who could – if promoted with as much enthusiasm as the top-billed heroes of the food sustainability story – have a more efficient impact on the woes around our food. While we can’t all be green-thumbed and it’s not conceivable that every indoor living space can start hosting a mini-farm, solutions such as ours, the Click & Grow’s smart indoor garden, for example, can help the consumer as a gardening equivalent of a training tool. These compact systems, requiring minimal space and effort, use 95% less water than traditional farming and can be as easy as making instant coffee. And since it’s table-to-fork, no food is wasted and no nutrients are lost.
Growing food at home isn’t just about playing farm. Or cleaning the farm from wastage. It’s about revolutionizing our relationship with what’s on our plate and becoming more self-sufficient. Imagine plucking fresh basil for your pasta or harvesting lettuce for your sandwich, all from your own home. It’s fresher, more nutritious, and, let’s face it, quite the conversation starter. The more food is grown where we live, the more we’ll start appreciating that magical nature’s gift, and, hopefully, the more we’ll change our habits around food all around.
We can all honestly dream of a future where food doesn’t need a passport and frequent flyer miles to reach us – and one where it’s not as expensive or meticulous to produce as it is with high-tech vertical farms. Our kitchens are not just spaces for cooking but for growing. This dream is perfectly possible, and on a global scale, we can look at countries such as Estonia, – a digital innovator and the birthplace of Click & Grow, but also a beacon of organic farming.
It is ranked as the second biggest organic food producer in Europe while also renowned for having the planet’s second cleanest food. Here, it’s not uncommon to find families tending to their own patches of land, eagerly growing some of their vegetables during the summer season, and continuing this indoors when the weather isn’t favorable. Estonian dinner tables, restaurants, and even food products for export are a testament to this lifestyle, where fresh and locally grown are of the highest value, and modern twists on traditional recipes are found in every bite.
In this new age of agriculture, any home, or even a school, restaurant or hospital can be a small food producer, a tiny but mighty player in a food revolution that’s not just green, less wasteful but truly grassroots and self-sufficient. Let’s turn our spaces into havens of freshness, nutrition, and sustainability, one indoor garden at a time. Because, at the end of the day, the shortest journey our food should take is from our windowsill to our plate.
By Martin Laidla, Click & Grow.
Dubai Municipality has announced the launch of its ‘Promoting Healthy Nutrition in Educational Institutions’ initiative, aimed at reaching over 300,000 students in schools across the emirate.
The initiative, it shared, is focused on assisting educational institutions across Dubai to change their approach to school meals, offering students nutritional food options in canteens and cafeterias.
Designed as a learning management and empowerment system for school students, it offers a comprehensive digital learning experience that is accessible from anywhere, comprising complete e-content on nutrition, food safety and sustainable consumption, along with interactive games and tools to evaluate learning progress.
These tools can be used by teachers to educate students as well as staff of food companies.
In the year ahead, Dubai Municipality will also provide a specialised training course for users to ensure that schools can use these systems efficiently.
The program will see nutritionists collaborate with these institutions to reevaluate their food offerings, aimed at prioritising nutrient-dense food that supports both physical and cognitive development of children and young people.
Speaking about the launch of the initiative, Sultan Al Taher, Director of Food Safety Department of Dubai Municipality, said: “The initiative is a proactive move for educational institutions, as promotes the adoption of sustainable and healthy food system to raise healthy future generations. It further aims to reinforce their diet and lifestyles, by recognising nutrition’s critical role in various stages of children’s development. Furthermore, the initiative is an important part of Dubai Municipality’s attempts to create a sustainable food environment and proactively shield the populace from the risks associated with malnutrition, thereby improving the standard of living in the emirate.”
“We have conducted a survey to understand the nutritional and behavioural requirements of all groups including students, teachers, parents, and food suppliers to schools. In order to create meals that satisfy the nutritional guidelines and requirements of children and young adults, experts and nutritionists will work with school canteens. This move towards better nutrition options aims to foster healthy eating habits at a young age, paving the way for long-term and integrated food options,” Al Taher added.
Dubai Municipality has also organised various interactive lectures, workshops, and activities to identify the link between food choices, health, and the environment, held in collaboration with nutrition and environmental sciences experts.
The sessions targeted an inclusive sample from all educational institutions, including schools, universities, and nurseries in the Emirate of Dubai.
Further, it has conducted activities and workshops at schools, featuring over 300 participants from different social groups.
These initiatives aim to increase students’ understanding of the importance of recycling, reducing food waste, and incorporating eco-friendly practices into daily life to create a more sustainable future.
JBS, the largest food company in the world, has started the issuance of International Renewable Energy Certificates (International REC Standard / I-REC).
The company is the first in the food sector qualified for the issuance of such certificates.
According to the company, the certification was obtained through Biolins, a thermoelectric plant located in the city of Lins (SP), which belongs to JBS and uses various types of biomass as raw material for power generation, such as sugarcane bagasse, wood sawdust, and eucalyptus waste.
The plant has an installed capacity of 45 MW, enough to supply a city of 300,000 inhabitants.
Officially issued in Brazil by Instituto Totum, I-RECs can be purchased by industries and commercial establishments to prove that they consume electricity generated by renewable energy sources, such as solar plants, wind projects, and thermal and biomass power plants.
This allows certificate holders to neutralize the so-called Scope 2 emissions, which takes into account indirect CO2 emissions associated with the purchase of electricity for their own use, contributing to the meeting of their decarbonization goals.
As part of its actions to achieve its Net Zero goal, JBS will invest $1 billion by 2030 to decarbonize its direct and indirect operations, with $100 million in research to develop solutions that make farming increasingly sustainable.
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