Policy and Legislative Support

ZeroW project partners participated in the first international conference on reducing food waste ‘Towards halving Foodwaste by 2030’ by contributing to the Policy and Legislation break out session

ZeroW project partners participated in the first international conference on reducing food waste ‘Towards halving Foodwaste by 2030’ by contributing to the Policy and Legislation break out session. Sharing the challenges faced by the ZeroW SILL 4 pilot with an audience of European and local policy makers was the ideal way stimulate knowledge exchange and policy change.

Reducing Food Waste: Insights and Innovations from the First International Conference

The first conference on reducing food waste held in the Netherlands drew 370 participants from 33 countries, highlighting the global commitment to tackling this critical issue. The conference demographics were diverse, with 47% of attendees representing companies, 29% from civil society, 16% from government sectors, and 9% from the scientific community. This varied representation underscores the multifaceted approach needed to address food waste effectively.

The Scope of the Problem

Food waste is a significant global challenge, with approximately 30% of all produced food going to waste, despite ongoing hunger issues. In the European Union, although efforts have led to a decline in food waste, this reduction has recently plateaued. Notably, food loss occurring on and near farms has been found to be higher than previously estimated.

Innovations in Food Waste Reduction: ZeroW SILL 4 Pilot

Our ZeroW SILL 4 pilot is specifically targeting these high-waste areas within agricultural supply chains. A critical takeaway from the conference was the concern that too much food waste and loss is diverted to biogas production. This diverts potential resources away from human consumption or animal feed.

Strategic Approaches to Redistribution

The ZeroW SILL 4 initiative aims to repurpose fruits and vegetables removed from the market to stabilize prices. Our goal is to redirect these resources to human consumption through donation programs. However, the current food redistribution infrastructure lacks the logistical capacity to handle large peak volumes, posing a significant bottleneck. Resulting in only 10% of redrawn fruit and vegetables to be used for human consumption.

To overcome this challenge, we propose processing fresh fruits and vegetables into long shelf-life products. This approach would allow for year-round donations, ensuring a steady supply of nutritious food to those in need.

Policy and Legislative Support

Achieving these goals requires legislative support on different levels. This was exactly the topic of our contribution to the breakout session on policy and legislation where we advocated for the current Flemish law to allow the processing and redistribution of surplus produce. We are actively engaging in policy workshops to drive these necessary changes, aiming to create a more efficient and effective food redistribution system.

Conclusion

The conference highlighted both the complexity of the food waste issue and the innovative solutions being developed. By focusing on farm-level waste and improving redistribution logistics, initiatives like ZeroW SILL 4 are paving the way towards more sustainable food systems. Continued collaboration across sectors and supportive legislative frameworks will be crucial in advancing these efforts and achieving significant reductions in food waste.