Do your part and donate to curb food wastage in Dubai

Dubai - Dubai aims to be the first city in the Middle East to achieve zero waste through distributing surplus food.

On the occasion of World Food Day, the Dubai Municipality has invited residents and industries to show zero tolerance towards food waste in the UAE.

As part of the World Food Day, which falls on October 16 every year, the municipality is organising donation drives, competitions and social media campaign #ZeroFoodWaste to mark the day.

Food waste remains a struggle challenging governments and countries worldwide, especially when the UN has stated that one-third of the food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted globally each year.

The UAE losses over Dh13 billion a year in food waste, and to combat this problem, the first location of UAE Food Bank was launched in April to allow hotels and companies to donate surplus canned and packaged food to labourers and families in need under a supervised system.

In its first four months, the Food Bank was able to distribute over 52 tonnes of waste to those in need. Through this donation system, Dubai aims to be the first city in the Middle East to achieve zero waste through distributing surplus food.

The Food Safety Department of the Dubai Municipality urges the public to make use of the Food Bank Food fridges located across the city and donate their packaged surplus food. To eliminate food waste and help the needy, the municipality is also planning to open 30 food bank across the UAE.

FILL UP THE FRIDGES, PLEASE

Residents are urged to join the 'Fill up the fridges' campaign, to ensure the UAE Food Bank fridges are filled with food that can be donated to those in need. Only packaged food, though, can be added to the 80 food bank fridges scattered across mosques in Dubai. The public is encouraged to use the hashtag, #ZeroFoodWaste on social media to promote the theme.

sherouk@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE
• UAE
• Dubai