Sri Lanka has launched a Road Map to prevent urban food waste for households, food services, retailers and wholesalers, Environment Ministry Secretary Dr. Anil Jasinghe said at the Environment Ministry on Tuesday.
He was speaking at a discussion at the Road Map launch at the Ministry with the participation of representative of the FAO Sri Lanka and the Maldives Vimalendran Sharan,
Dr. D.B.T. Wijerathna and other officials at the FAO, Officials of other UN Agencies, representatives of the International Water Management Institute ( IWMI) and Ministries of Agriculture, Education , Health, Mass Media, Provincial Council and Local Government, Urban Development, Waste Disposal and Cleanliness, Consumer Affairs Authority, CEA, Universities, Private Sector and NGOs.
The Road Map developed by the FAO through an FAO Technical Cooperation Project called “innovative approach to reduce, recycle and reuse food waste in urban SL,” was implemented in partnership with international Water Management Institute 2019. Under the Project, the Road Map was developed with the consultation of relevant government institution, private sector and other non-governmental agencies. Around 3,963 tonnes of food waste is generated per day in the country and the Colombo Municipal Council alone generates around 353 tonnes of food waste per day.
Therefore, this programme is focused not only food waste management but also on food waste minimisation and helps in resource conservation and minimising impact of climate change by reducing Methane due to pilling up food waste in waste dumpsites, Dr. Anil Jasinghe said.
This is a global challenge where it is targeted to halve food waste by 2030.
In addition, the SDG 2 – zero hunger is inter-connected where hunger could be addressed through minimising food waste and providing excess food to the needy people through food banks.
The National Policies on Waste Management and Sustainable Consumption and Production were formulated by the Ministry in consultation with the stakeholders where this issue is addressed. Therefore, it is the mandate of the Ministry to address the issue of food waste.
The indicative framework was developed under this programme to implement the Road Map, he said.
The Road Map will be implemented through a “National Steering Committee on Food Loss and Food Waste,” where food loss and food waste in rural settings, too, will be addressed.
The Environment Ministry invites all sectors to participate in implementing the Road Map and minimising food waste in the country and requests the donor agencies to support the programme.
Add new comment