Stop Food Waste! For People and Planet!
Stop Food Waste! For People and Planet!
That is the motto of the fifth International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste (IDAFLW ), celebrated on the 29th of September 2024. The IDAFLW 2024 will highlight the critical need for financing to bolster efforts to reduce food loss and waste, contribute to achieving climate goals and advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. More information: https://www.stopfoodlosswaste.org/
Maramures County Council, as partner in CIBUS project, shows relevant data about food loss & waste in Romania.
Every day, in Romania, we throw away approximately 6,000 tons of food. Each year, we dispose of approximately 100,000 truckloads of food, that:
1. It has a negative impact on our budget. As a nation, 26% of total consumer spending is on food, about 12 percent above the European average. By wasting food, we throw a good portion of our income in the trash.
2. It has an impact on the environment. About 69% of the planet's fresh water resources are used in agriculture. Also, the use of pesticides and fertilizers contributes to water, soil and air pollution. Thus, we should respect food and be responsible when we buy, prepare or throw it away.
3. It could feed the disadvantaged population and reduce the existing social differences. It is enough to remind that over 150,000 Romanian children go to bed hungry.
The largest food waste in the entire food chain occurs in households - 49%, followed by the food industry - 37%, retail - 7%, public catering - 5% and the agricultural sector - 2%.
To mark the International Food Waste Awareness Day 2024, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in Romania has created a series of informative materials for consumers to help them prevent food waste, which can be download at the following link: https://www.madr.ro/risipa-alimentara/publicatii-si-materiale-informative.html
Also, for more tips and recommendations to prevent food waste, we invite you to access:
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The "Sincerely, food" project aimed to make consumers aware of food waste and offers games to introduce the problem and educate children to become responsible consumers. https://www.linkejimaimaistas.lt/en/
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The "Food Waste Combat" project - an army of enthusiastic people from Cluj who fight against food waste and have created a series of very interesting visual materials to educate consumers. https://foodwastecombat.com/
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The blog "Idei Roșcate" (Reddish ideas ) - Oana describes gastronomic initiatives, but also presents ways to introduce sustainability in gastronomy. You can find more information about food waste at these links: