UAE launches awareness campaign to tackle food waste

Initiative is part of efforts to halve food waste across the Emirates by 2030

The UAE is steeping up efforts to reduce food waste. Antonie Robertson / The National

The UAE has launched a major public awareness drive to tackle food waste, with businesses at the heart of efforts to forge a more sustainable future.

The nationwide campaign, called Valuing Our Roots, is the latest step in a long-term strategy to encourage more responsible production and consumption of food, from restaurants to households.

It is being led by the national food loss and waste initiative, Ne'ma, in partnership with Abu Dhabi-based investment and holding company ADQ and waste management company Tadweer.

The UAE aims to halve food waste by 2030. Ne'ma estimates Dh6 billion ($1.63 billion) of food is wasted in the Emirates annually.

“This campaign represents a strategic step towards a comprehensive transformation in societal behaviours, as Ne’ma leads the charge in reawakening a sense of responsibility toward food preservation, grounded in the wisdom of our traditions,” said Mariam Al Mheiri, head of the Office of International Affairs in the Presidential Court and chairwoman of the Ne'ma Steering Committee.

Khuloud Al Nuwais, secretary general of the Ne'ma steering committee, spoke of the importance of “cultivating a culture where food is valued, preserved and shared with care and mindfulness” across the Emirates.

An exhibition in Abu Dhabi on Thursday featured home-grown companies that are championing sustainability and aim to serve as role models.

Serving up support

Replate, a global social enterprise organisation, collects surplus food from hotels and delivers it to people in need, ensuring meals do not go to waste. Since 2016, Replate has recovered 3.9 million pounds of food, delivered 3.2 million meals and diverted 4,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions worldwide.

“Replate is a social enterprise that helps businesses donate surplus food safely to communities in need,” said Hachem Mahfoud, its founder and chief executive. “We use technology to track the environmental and social impact of these donations. Think of us like Talabat or Deliveroo, but for excess food.”

Replate was established in San Francisco and expanded to the UAE following an invitation to Expo 2020 Dubai. “We’ve been here for three years. In that time, we’ve delivered over 175,000 meals through our custom food rescue programmes, partnering with hotels, malls, and now exploring airports and catering companies. We’re also working on zero-waste events,” Mr Mahfoud said.

Replate collaborates with organisations such as Waste Lab to handle food that cannot be recovered, ensuring it is composted properly. They are also exploring reusable packaging options for food donations. “When people donate food, why not use reusable packaging? It’s a step toward reducing waste further,” he said.

Gourmet goodness

Bodour Al Tamimi, founder of Pure Soil Family Farm, lives by the motto: “If nature didn’t make it, then I’m not going to eat it.” For Ms Al Tamimi, everything must be pure and natural. She makes coffee from date pits, milk from nuts, and sources eggs from what she calls “happy chickens”.

“We are a family of artisans. We take farm products, create gourmet recipes, and put them into jars,” she said. In only three months, the mother of two has developed a range of products, including truffles made from dates, “pure” granola, jams and pickles.

“Everything is pure,” she said. “I don’t use any ingredients that could harm anyone. If I wouldn’t give it to my children, I’m not going to sell it.”