Amman, Sept. 30 (Petra) – Jordan is developing a national approach to slash food loss and waste after a national study found average household food waste at 81.3 kilograms per person annually, equivalent to about one million tonnes nationwide each year, said Minister of Agriculture Saeb Khreisat on Wednesday.
He added that the approach focuses on 3 main areas: Building reliable national data for policymaking, encouraging behavioral and social change, and establishing an institutional framework to sustain and coordinate national efforts.
Khreisat, who is also Deputy Chairman of the Higher Council for Food Security, made the remarks on the occasion of the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste.
He said the national food-waste study, conducted by the Higher Council for Food Security, the Department of Statistics, and the World Food Program (WFP), provided Jordan’s first baseline for measuring food waste.
As for its scope, the study covered households as well as restaurants, hotels, and hospitals, and led to the creation of the country’s first national household food-waste indicator.
Khreisat said the figures also reflect the water, energy, labor, financial resources, and other inputs used to produce, import, process, transport, store, and distribute food.
He added that the council is working to expand data collection to other parts of the food system, including retail outlets and additional sectors, to identify where food loss and waste occur and develop evidence-based interventions.
The work is currently coordinated through the Food Loss and Waste Committee under the Higher Council for Food Security, in cooperation with national institutions and relevant partners.
Khreisat said food loss and waste reduction requires action across the entire supply chain, from production and post-harvest handling to processing, transportation, storage, marketing, retail, food services, and household consumption.
He added that "greater efficiency" in food and resource use is particularly important for Jordan given its limited water resources, climate pressures, economic challenges, and disruptions to supply chains.
The council is also implementing the national "Appreciate It, Don’t Waste It" campaign with WFP to raise public awareness about food waste and encourage more responsible consumption practices.
In turn, WFP Representative and Country Director in Jordan Antonella D'Aprile said food waste reduction supports food security, sustainability, and resilience, adding that WFP is working with the council and national institutions to turn data into practical measures and support behavioral change.
A specialized federation for food loss and waste management was also established this year to coordinate civil society initiatives in the field. It brings together associations from across Jordan working on food surplus, waste reduction, and related activities.
The council and the federation are currently developing a cooperation framework aimed at coordinating initiatives and strengthening the role of civil society in national food-security efforts.
//Petra// AO
