The Holy Month of Ramadan brings communities together in a period of generosity with hearty meals at Iftar gatherings, but it is important to realise that food wastage becomes a particularly pressing issue during this month.
Ramadan sees a significant spike in food waste, and reaches staggering levels during the Holy Month. Connector reached out to relevant stakeholders to understand the seriousness of the issue and what steps each of us can take to tackle it.
The State Of Food Wastage In The UAE
Food wastage is a global issue that lays bare some of the most serious problems confronted by humanity. Global organisations like the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) emphasises the significant environmental, social and economic impacts of food waste, which persists alongside widespread hunger.
UNEP figures reveal that food waste contributes to 8% to 10% of greenhouse gas emissions and also costs USD 940 billion annually. The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) notes that “even though the world produces more than enough food to feed everyone, over one-third of it goes to waste”. This issue becomes particularly pressing in the UAE.
According to the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, the UAE generates an estimated 3.27 million tonnes of food waste annually, costing the economy approximately USD 3.5 billion per year.
During Ramadan, the food wastage issue is exacerbated in the UAE mainly due to the over-preparation of food for Suhoors and Iftars, which often leads to wastage. Demand for fruit, vegetables, dairy and meat almost doubles in the UAE during Ramadan, but much of the surplus food ends up being discarded, ending up in landfills.
So what measures can we take in order to prevent food wastage during the Holy Month of Ramadan? Meaningful action must begin with an understanding of the causes.
Ramadan And Food Wastage
According to Dubai Carbon Centre of Excellence, a leading sustainability think-tank established in 2011 through an agreement between Dubai Supreme Council of Energy (DSCE) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the amount of food waste an average person in the UAE generates in a day during Ramadan, nearly doubles compared to a normal day, and much of this goes against the principles of modesty and austerity that Ramadan encourages.
According to a sustainability researcher at Tadweer group, Abu Dhabi, “food waste is generated across different stages of the food value chain, including transportation, packaging and of course, distribution and consumption”. At the level of distribution, the hospitality industry has much at stake. Hotels and restaurants offer lavish buffets especially during Iftar, that often lead to significant food wastage. The same goes for households where meals are prepared in abundance to celebrate gatherings.
Over-preparation, a social emphasis on abundance and a lack of meal-planning clearly exacerbate the issue of food wastage in households, and this is where we must begin to address the issue during Ramadan. According to sustainability experts in the UAE and other countries, the issue of food wastage is clearly a multifaceted problem that cascades across individual and collective levels, starting from individual consumption behaviours to the community level and to food and hospitality industries.
Steps Taken By The UAE
The UAE is one of the first countries that set an example by including an explicit commitment to reduce food waste as part of its Nationally Determined Contributions. The nation is committed to cutting down its food loss and waste per capita by 50% by 2030, as part of achieving UN Sustainable Development Goal 12.3.
There are several organisations and initiatives launched by the UAE working towards mitigating food wastage, including Ne’ma, UAE Food Bank and UAE Food Waste Pledge. These initiatives underline the nation’s efforts to spread awareness and to encourage all communities, companies and individuals to reduce food wastage through detailed plans for its strategic implementation.
Initiatives like UAE Food Bank have already seen tremendous results, with over 28.9 million beneficiaries of its donation programmes and also around 5,466 tonnes of food saved from landfills.
Ramadan is an important time to remind ourselves that sensitivity to sustainability goals is more than just adjusting quantity, and that the quality and intentions behind our actions equally matter. In that spirit, let us look at what concrete steps you can take during this month to reduce food loss and wastage in your households.
Here’s What You Can Do
Despite the widespread efforts by the government and civil society organisations to reduce food wastage, it still remains a pressing issue in the emirates with over 38% of food prepared being thrown away, according to the research team at Ne’ma.
Here are some actionable steps you can take during this Ramadan to reduce food wastage in your homes:
- Planning ahead for your shopping: Most shoppers tend to indulge in impulsive shopping which eventually leads to items getting expired before use and leading to wastage. Make sure you plan ahead by creating shopping lists and sticking to them.
- Ordering less and dealing with leftovers: Many UAE residents tend to order more food than required and only half of them take home or donate the leftovers. Make sure that you plan your meals properly with your family or friends and order accordingly. Also try to share the leftover food with workers in your building or reach out to food donation agencies near you.
- Finding sustainable modes of storage: Make sure that you find proper storage means for food. Use resealable containers and ensure that you don’t forget about the excess food stored in refrigerators which often leads to spoilage.
- Preparing just enough food: Ne’ma found that 4 in 10 UAE citizens and residents tend to cook extra food ‘just in case’. Try to restrict surplus food by considering portion sizes before cooking and also try to prioritise food items nearing its expiry date.
- Donating and repurposing: To deal effectively with surplus food at your homes, try donating excess, usable food to those in need, through foodbanks or credible donation agencies near you. Also try to segregate food waste for repurposing. Organisations like Ehfaaz work in circularity solutions and transforms food waste into organic fertilisers and animal feed. Apps like ReLoop offer doorstep food waste collection and repurposing.
- Adopting daily sustainable behaviours: Experiment with vegetarian options when you get the chance, take part in donation and charity initiatives and also practice home composting in cooperation with neighbours and local authorities. Consider ordering food through apps like Platable during Ramadan which offers surplus food from nearby outlets at discounted rates.
Becoming Agents Of Change
Once you get clarity on the seriousness of the issue and what needs to be done, it is important to remain optimistic and realistic. Change does not ensue in a day. Researchers at Ne’ma remind us that “food waste is a behavioural issue because it is not down to a single choice, but many small choices every day”.
Your consumption practices are not isolated from the broader economic and environmental costs associated with food waste. You are an agent of change and your daily efforts can bring about transformation even though you may not witness tangible results quickly.
Reducing food waste and adopting a sustainable lifestyle is a shared responsibility. Ramadan is the best time to incorporate these small changes into your daily routine, while reflecting on how you can help others change their attitude and practices. So, let us begin with small, conscious efforts and ensure that no meal goes to waste during this Holy Month, and beyond.