The national food loss and waste initiative is at the core of the UAE’s efforts to ensure food security and address climate change
The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has signed an agreement with ne’ma, the National Food Loss and Waste Initiative, to promote responsible consumption within the tourism and hospitality sectors.
The agreement was signed by Saleh Mohammed Al Geziry, Director-General for Tourism at DCT Abu Dhabi, and Khuloud Hasan Al Nuwais, Chief Sustainability Officer of the Emirates Foundation and Secretary-General of the ne’ma National Steering Committee.
According to the Emirates News Agency, the National Food Loss and Waste Initiative is central to the UAE’s efforts to ensure food security and address climate change. This collaboration aims to drive transformative change in the travel and hospitality sectors, contributing to the National Food Security Strategy 2051 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12.3. The goal is to reduce food loss and waste in the UAE by 50 per cent by 2030.
As part of this agreement, DCT Abu Dhabi will encourage restaurants, hotels, and tourism establishments to adopt sustainable practices, including portion control, menu optimization, and creative uses for surplus food. Additionally, DCT Abu Dhabi will develop educational campaigns for both tourists and residents to raise awareness about the environmental impact of food waste and the importance of responsible consumption.
DCT Abu Dhabi will also facilitate the redistribution of surplus food to charitable organizations and food banks or use it for composting, in collaboration with stakeholders across the value chain. Furthermore, the department will collect data on food waste within the tourism sector to identify trends, hotspots, and areas for improvement, thereby informing future strategies. This initiative will also promote broader sustainability efforts, including reducing single-use plastics, supporting local food producers, and minimizing transportation-related emissions.
