The Natural and Agricultural Sciences (NAS) Faculty has announced that it is implementing its innovative Zero Food Waste programme in an attempt to address the growing global food waste epidemic. The goal of this campaign is to transform people’s attitudes and behaviours about food consumption and waste management. It is led by Prof. Lise Korsten and the Produce Quality and Safety Science Communication Team (PQSSCT).
In 2022, the UN Environment Programme reported, “An estimated 14 percent of the total food produced for human consumption is lost, while 17 per cent is wasted.” This means that 30 percent of food is lost or wasted globally, which can feed 1 billion people. Food waste poses ethical questions about universal access to food and puts a burden on the environment’s resources.
NAS’s food waste programme has “five keys to reduce food waste”, which provide practical guidance for people to incorporate sustainable habits into their everyday lives. These include: sharing is caring (donate leftovers and share food with neighbours); put your food waste to use (use scraps for compost or stock/broths); love your leftovers (freeze or use them to make new meals); use only what you need (plan your meals and stick to your shopping lists); and store food wisely (know how to store different foods and use older items first). By adopting thoughtful spending habits and sharing excess food, these strategies enable people to significantly impact the battle against food waste.
“The Zero Food Waste initiative has a complex impact, as it addresses social responsibility and equitable access to resources in addition to addressing a pressing environmental issue,” says Prof. Korsten. Using social media as its main means of communication, the PQSSCT must overcome the obstacle of digital noise to inform and engage the public. Their aim is to employ inventive tactics and captivating material to reach a wide range of viewers and motivate significant actions.
By continuing to engage and collaborate with the community, the NAS Faculty hopes to maintain the enthusiasm surrounding the Zero Food Waste effort in the future. Their goal is to establish a more appropriate and sustainable future for everyone by tackling challenges of food insecurity and fostering fair access to resources. They encourage people and communities to join the NAS Faculty’s critical aim of reducing food waste as word of the project grows. We can eradicate food waste as a group and set the stage for future generations to live better, more sustainable lives. PDBY will provide updates on this innovative project.
