Ministry makes point with ‘upcycled iftar’ 5 iftars to try
INITIATIVE PROMOTES BEST PRACTICES IN FOOD MANAGEMENT
Sending out a strong message against food wastage during Ramadan, the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment hosted an ‘upcycled’ iftar prepared using food that would have been wasted.
Hosting high-level public and private sector officials, the iftar was held in partnership with food tech company Winnow and property developer Emaar.
The creative, healthy and delicious iftar dishes, for example, featured underutilised cuts of meat and overripe fruits, sending out a powerful message to local and global communities to prioritise judicious food consumption and eliminate wastage.
Highlighting the idea behind the unique event, Dr Thani Ahmad Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, pointed out that the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations reported that roughly one-third of food produced globally every year — around 1.3 billion tonnes — is either lost or wasted.
In the UAE, food wastage costs the economy around Dh13 billion annually.
“Today, I am pleased to reaffirm the UAE’s commitment to meeting the global target to reduce food loss and wastage by 50 per cent by 2030 as per the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12 that underscores sustainable consumption and production. As part of this priority, the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment is working closely with local authorities and the private sector to reduce food loss through the production and consumption cycle,” Dr Al Zeyoudi said.
He announced that UAE-based hospitality companies are ready to take on the challenge to reduce food wastage, pledging to save one million meals by 2018 end. “This target will be increased to two million meals in 2019 and three million meals in 2020.
“Companies that are already on board this noble mission include Emaar, Majid Al Futtaim and Rotana. I invite others to participate in this pledge,” he added.
Olivier Harnisch, chief executive officer of Emaar Hospitality Group, said, “This is a remarkable initiative that not only underlines the UAE’s commitment towards a sustainable future but is also a tangible step in preventing food wastage ... At Emaar Hospitality Group we are honoured to be partnering in this event, and will continue to promote sustainable food management across all our hotels.”
Marc Zornes, co-founder and CEO of Winnow, said, “We are incredibly proud of the fantastic results chefs partnering with Winnow have achieved. These pioneers have proved that it is possible to do the right thing for both business and the planet.”
Dh13b
cost to the UAE’s economy annually due to food wastage