DOHA: As part of the research project ‘Safeguarding Food and Environment in Qatar’, the research team from Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) will organise two workshops with local stakeholders.
At the supplier workshop distribution companies and supermarkets will come together with public officials and NGOs to discuss supply-related aspects of food waste.
The second workshop will be for restaurants, hotels and consumers to discuss the consumer-side of the food waste problem.
GU-Q, with Cranfield and Brunel Universities, UK, and University of Western Sydney, is the recipient of a research award from Qatar National Research Fund to explore the issue of waste in food distribution in Qatar. The three-year project combines analysis of food supply and demand with an examination of causes of food waste in distribution and changing trends in consumption resulting in waste.
It seeks to support efforts to implement Qatar National Vision 2030, focusing on long-term sustainability of the food supply chain, including its green aspects, and their interconnection with the population’s health and Qatar’s environmental and economic development.
Zeynep Topaloglu (pictured), Assistant Professor of Economics, GU-Q, and Co-Lead Principal Investigator for the project, said preliminary studies on food waste during distribution show that 14 percent of food is wasted between its arrival in Qatar or departure from a local farm until it reaches the consumer.
“We have learnt that many products are destroyed because they expire before reaching consumers. In this research we aim to create a clearer picture of the situation and develop policies to reduce waste in transportation and storage stages.”
An associate from Al Sulaiteen Agricultural and Industrial Complex has reported that consumers mainly buy food in bulk and some food bought in large boxes is wasted due to over-purchasing.
“Food waste at the consumer level has the highest cost to the environment, as food items at that stage have been grown, processed, transported, stored and sold before ending up in the trash,” said Prof. Topaloglu.
Stakeholders can register for the workshops on 4457 8579. The workshop for suppliers will be tomorrow from 9.30am to 1pm and the other on Monday from 9.30am to 1pm at Georgetown University campus in Education City.The Peninsula
