Think before tosssing away your food in UAE

As food wastage becomes a key global public and social issue, suppliers and transport providers say the stage is set for innovation to transform the way the UAE handles its food distribution and re-exports. KT file photo

Reducing food wastage has been identified as a key target by the UAE government in recent years, with many initiatives and social campaigns being launched to highlight the issue.
Speaking on a panel discussion the 2016 Sharjah FDI Forum, Marwan bin Jassim Al Sarkal, chief executive officer of the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority, highlighted the importance of reducing food waste across the different emirates. "Sharjah today has the biggest waste segregation plant in the Middle East, and we also have a facility that recycles waste into energy. However, there are still many opportunities for us to do more in this sector, including improving energy efficiency and food waste management."
A 2014 report by the Environment Agency in Abu Dhabi revealed that GCC countries were among the world's top generators of food waste; and that in the UAE, food waste in a month comprises 39 per cent of an average household's organic waste.
As food wastage becomes a key global public and social issue, suppliers and transport providers say the stage is set for innovation to transform the way the UAE handles its food distribution and re-exports. A new breed of intelligent logistics solutions could save five per cent of the UAE's multi-billion billion food wastage, according to industry experts.
Transformational technology and systems will be in focus at November's Logistics Solutions Middle East - a dedicated zone within Gulfood Manufacturing - at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), as the industry moves to shave the country's food wastage bill, currently put at 3.27 million tonnes worth some Dh13.6 billion ($3.7 billion) by Abu Dhabi's Massar Solutions.
"The UN's Food and Agriculture Association has clearly stated that substantial savings can be made in food loss and waste through improved storage and transportation," explained Trixie LohMirmand, senior vice president of events and exhibitions at DWTC. "These are now crucial issues as countries and industries move to reduce their carbon footprints and deliver on sustainability goals."
Innovation will also be the back-story to this year's Gulfood Manufacturing, which runs from November 7-9, as the food industry grapples with wastage and increasing competitiveness. Gargash & Mercedes-Benz is targeting the F&B distribution segments with plans to roll-out a new range of futuristic trucks, highlighting their fuel-efficiency and productivity. The promotion will also see a focus on new Mercedes-Benz electronic trucks including the Urban eTruck, the company's first fully electric truck, and its 'Vision' van-of-the-future concept.
Food-specific logistics remain a core component of a UAE logistics industry which reached Dh99 billion in 2015, according to the UAE National Association of Freight and Logistics (NAFL), which has signed up as the show's official logistics partners. The issue is vital for Dubai, which currently re-exports nearly half of its imported food product to other GCC countries, Russia, India, Pakistan, and East Africa, according to the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre.
NAFL president, Nadia Abdul Aziz, is leading a campaign to strengthen Dubai's position as a global logistics hub, and is planning to spell out how the emirate plans to keep ahead of competing global markets, and what it means for transport and logistics stakeholders at the Food Logistics Forum being held at DWTC on November 8.
- rohma@khaleejtimes.com