UAE aims to cut food waste by 50%

"One-third of food being produced globally goes waste when over 800 million people go to bed hungry every day. So, there is enough food but distribution is not efficient," said Mariam bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Al Muhairi, the UAE's Minister of State for Food Security.

"Food security is necessary because we are heading towards very high number of people, therefore, food demand will rise. But our planet doesn't have more resources to give so we are going see food gap," Mariam said while giving the opening speech at the Gulfood 2020.

"The UAE aims to reach 50 per cent decrease in food wastage by 2030 and we have KPI (key performance index) for that because the UAE imports 90 per cent of food, therefore, food safety and security standards are the top priority."

Currently ranked 21st, the UAE aims to join top 10 countries in Global Food Security Index by 2021 and 1st by 2051.

The minister noted that less than five per cent of the UAE is arable land and the leadership has entrusted the ministry to put efforts and money into building right infrastructure to make sure that the food that comes to the UAE through trade caters to 200 nationalities living in the country.

The minister said Emirates Food Security Council has been formed in December and it is primary reference for all UAE food affairs. The Council is made of six other ministries' representatives and seven local authorities' officials to give strategic direction on food-related subject to implement strategy.

The minister pointed out the UAE is not just focused on ensuring food supply but also providing tools for the residents to make right choice in terms of nutrition.

"As part of strategic direction about giving tools to community to make better choices for the nutrition, a labelling policy was approved by the Cabinet. At the moment it is on voluntary basis, but it is going to be compulsory from January 2022. This will it makes it easier for consumers to make choice because there will be a tracking label in green, orange or red colours," said Mariam.

These colourful labels will help consumers identify what products suits their health better.

The ministry is also focusing on establishing unified agriculture licence, food security data framework and platform, aquaculture standards, fish feed facility and framework of agriculture finance among others.

Atiq Juma Nasib, Senior Vice President of Commercial Services at Dubai Chamber, said the UAE enjoys leading global position in the food and beverages (F&B) industries, where it is ranked first in Mena and 18th in the world for attractive investment environment in the F&B sector in the first quarter of 2020 on the Fitch Connect Risk Reward Index.

Vikrant Rohatgi, director for global strategy group at KPMG Lower Gulf, said initial findings from the their 2019 F&B survey show that consumers across the GCC continue to spend and dine out as much or more than last year. This indicates that F&B businesses in the region are likely to grow in the medium-term future.

"Despite this optimism, markets continue to face certain challenges in the UAE. Supply is increasing versus demand and most operators are struggling to achieve like-for-like growth in their premises. Operators also have to grapple with increased competition. But the prospect of Expo 2020 has given the industry a boost, as F&B operators remain optimistic about growth this year," he said.