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The 29 September is International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste! This is an initiative the United Nations has started in 2020; on this day the spotlight will be turned on the worldwide issue of food loss and waste.
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This is an important issue because at the same time as one third of all the food produced in the world is thrown away, around 673 million people worldwide are suffering from hunger – we can’t just stand by and do nothing. Quite apart from the moral obligation to deal with the issue, we should not lose sight of its ecological dimension. By reducing and preventing food loss and waste, we can cut down CO2 emissions and reduce our consumption of resources in terms of land and water.
EU Member States shall take the necessary and appropriate measures to achieve, by 31 December 2030, the following food waste reduction targets at national level:
- reduction of the generation of food waste in processing and manufacturing by 10 % in comparison to the amount of food waste generated as an annual average between 2021 and 2023;
- reduction of the generation of food waste per capita, jointly in retail and other distribution of food, in restaurants and food services and in households, by 30 % in comparison to the amount of food waste generated as an annual average between 2021 and 2023.
The Ministry of Agriculture set up a campaign to increase awareness of food waste, aimed primarily at the consumer. Private households are in fact responsible for 58 %* of food waste in Luxembourg – an even higher percentage than production (25 %), restaurants (8 %) and retailers (9 %). That’s why the national plan for waste management (Plan National de Gestion des Déchets) aims to halve food waste by 2030.
* Quality report on the data on food waste amounts and the data related to food waste prevention 2023
As a result it’s perfectly logical that the Ministry of Agriculture should be involved in the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, drawing attention to this topic on 29 September – and increasing awareness for the appreciation of food.
To mark the International Day devoted to combating food waste, we will present a number of national initiatives with a view to ensuring that food does not go to waste.