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UAE Food Bank announces new plan to reduce waste by 30% in next 4 years

New strategy comes in line with the country's goal of becoming a global leader in managing food waste

The UAE Food Bank is aiming to reduce food wastage and reach more beneficiaries over the next four years. The entity has launched its strategic plan for the 2023-2027 period that also aims to advance digital transformation of the bank’s operations and reduce food wastage by 30 per cent by 2027.

The new plan forms part of the implementation of the directives of Sheikha Hind bint Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum, wife of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai; and Supreme Chairperson of the UAE Food Bank. It also aligns with the UAE’s goals to become a global leader in managing food surpluses.

Globally, millions of tonnes of food is wasted every year. Food wastage is the third largest contributor of greenhouse gases in the world. Reducing food waste and redirecting it can have a major impact on climate change. Given these figures, the work of the UAE Food Bank has become more significant than ever.

Since 2017, the bank has distributed more than 55 million meals to beneficiaries, which is the equivalent of preserving 55,000 tonnes of food that would have been discarded as waste. It has also established more than 200 strategic partnerships with food establishments, hotels, restaurants, hypermarkets, central kitchens and charity organisations.

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Future plans

As part of boosting sustainability, the UAE Food Bank will support local farmers and expand partnerships with food establishments, companies and hotels to donate surplus food and reduce wastage.

The plan also aims to advance digital transformation of the Food Bank’s operations to make sure that there is easy access to the largest possible number of beneficiaries and donors.

The UAE Food Bank also signed five MoUs with regional food banks to exchange information and experiences on preserving surplus food, reducing its wastage, maintaining high health and food safety standards for surplus food, training volunteers on the procedures for storing and preserving surplus food and delivering it to families in need.

As part of the strategy, the bank will run awareness programmes in schools and government and private entities on how they can make optimal use of surplus food, reduce wastage, and preserve the environment.

Ramadan 2023

This year during Ramadan, the UAE Food Bank's initiatives distributed more than 5.1 million meals to close to half a million families and over 2.6 million workers in the UAE and across the world. More than 720 volunteers contributed to implementing these initiatives.

The bank also participated in the ‘Bridges of Goodness’ initiative launched to help those affected by the earthquake in Syria and Turkey. It also delivered 292.7 tonnes of food to the Emirates Red Crescent to support people affected by the crisis.

Through campaigns and partnerships with the private sector, the bank was able to divert more than 908,000kg of food from the landfill path, by donating foods that were edible and recycling foods unfit for human consumption.

By recycling 367,409 kg of food waste, the bank’s efforts led to the production of 73 tonnes of fertilizers and the reduction of 2,306,687 kg of carbon emissions, which is equivalent to planting 96,112 trees.