Shafaq News- Baghdad
Food waste in Iraq stands at 143 kilograms per personannually causing significant economic losses, deplete natural resources,increase emissions, and worsen hunger and malnutrition, Director General of theExecutive Administration for the Poverty Reduction Strategy said on Tuesday.
During Iraq's Ministry of Planning held the first meeting ofthe National Initiative to Reduce Food Loss and Waste, Moaid Ismail delivered apresentation outlining the initiative's objectives. He said the move respondsto the absence of a regulatory framework, rising levels of food loss, pressureon water resources, and unsustainable consumption patterns.
According to the Deputy Minister for Technical Affairs,Maher Juhan, the meeting sought also to assess the current state of food lossand waste, define the roles of government institutions and global partners,discuss Iraq’s roadmap, and agree on implementation steps and a work schedule.
The Director General of the Human Development Department,Maha Abdul Karim Al-Rawi proposed measures cover raising public awareness aboutresponsible food purchasing and consumption, strengthening legal enforcement,and imposing penalties and fees on large volumes of organic waste generated byrestaurants, hotels, and hospitals,
Al-Rawi suggested adopting a food waste hierarchy,establishing facilities to recycle organic waste, supporting small-scaleprojects to redistribute edible surplus food, and creating digital logisticssystems to track food quantities.
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