Experts Call for Action: Reducing Saudi Arabia's SR40 Billion Food Waste through Innovation and Awareness
Experts met at a virtual event titled "Stop Food Waste" organized by Saudi Platform and Vision Platform, urging Saudi Arabia to adopt new initiatives to reduce the 33% food waste and loss, costing the country SR40 billion ($10.66 billion) annually.
Najah Al-Omari, an international trainer and family counsellor, presented a video on recycling plant waste and emphasized the importance of preserving food based on Qur'anic verses.
The experts recommended affordable and user-friendly technologies, best practices, and awareness campaigns to prevent food waste.
A woman named Al-Omari gave a presentation on Saudi citizens' food consumption and waste compared to global rates.
She highlighted that local food waste exceeded global levels significantly.
Al-Omari provided instructions on preserving food, reducing waste, and promoting sustainability.
She emphasized the individual and national impacts of food waste.
Al-Omari suggested practical solutions, some involving legislation.
She also discussed the role of charitable organizations in addressing food loss and waste.
An environmental expert, Fahd Turkestani, confirmed that such awareness meetings help spread the culture of preservation in society.
This text discusses various approaches different countries have taken to reduce food waste.
In France, customers are encouraged to take home leftovers, while Italy has binding laws to limit waste.
The first supermarket for leftover food was opened in Britain.
A restaurant in Chicago refused to use a waste bin for two years, and Denmark reduced food surplus by 25% through awareness programs.
Turkestani urged Saudi authorities to enact strict laws against waste, including fines and penalties.
Nouf Halawani, from Savola World, suggested new technologies are necessary to further reduce food waste in the Kingdom.
Abdullah Osama Filali, the chairman of Hefz Al-Nema organization's board of directors in Makkah, discussed their successful initiatives to minimize waste.
They achieved this by partnering with hotels, restaurants, and wedding halls to collect excess food, package it, and distribute it to those in need.
Over 800,000 meals were distributed during the year, helping needy families, and any surplus food was reinvested in these projects.