Explore the facts about Ramadan food waste in Arab countries, understand the causes, and discover simple solutions, including mindset shifts and community initiatives, to reduce excess and promote mindful consumption.
One of the most distinctive things about the world collectively is the massive waste that occurs between its folds. You might find widespread waste around the world, rising rates, especially among children. In return, the world collectively throws away more than half the food in the trash!
The phenomenon of waste isn’t just confined to leftover food at home; it’s even more prevalent in advanced countries. In fact, it’s spreading even more during Ramadan.
Insights into Food Waste
Natural resources are being depleted to meet nutritional demands. For example, the Middle East annually wastes about 1.3 million tons of food, costing trillions of dollars. This excess contributes to hunger and starvation worldwide.
Ramadan Waste and Squandered Food
When we delve into our traditions during Ramadan, we find that the amount of food discarded during this month far exceeds that of other months. Arab countries are particularly prone to food waste. Here are some examples:
- In Dubai, 55% of municipal waste in 2012 came from food. The city generates about 1,850 tons of food waste daily during Ramadan.
- Bahrain wastes around 400 tons of food daily during Ramadan, according to a survey.
- Qatar’s food waste doubles during Ramadan.
This extravagance goes against the spirit of Ramadan and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), who said, “O children of Adam, take your adornment at every mosque, and eat and drink, but be not excessive. Indeed, He likes not those who commit excess.”
Tackling Food Waste in Arab Societies
That’s why many initiatives aim to address food waste. For instance, Jeroen Vincent, a senior consultant at Winnow Solutions, suggests innovation to combat food waste, not just within the Gulf region, but through tailored strategies that identify where to reduce food waste from the beginning. He noted that three million tons of food are wasted annually.
Vincent said, “People often prepare far more food than is needed, especially during Ramadan. This requires changing the mindset towards food during Ramadan and targeting families who waste a lot of food.”
Common Ramadan Food Waste Issues
The scale of food waste and the substantial amount of food wasted require a thorough examination of the problem and creative solutions to address it, especially in cities with diverse food habits.
Is managing waste the only way to address food waste?
Not really. Raising awareness is part of the solution, encouraging people to value food and change their perceptions of waste.
Working on this issue with experts (awareness and food management) will significantly reduce the country’s need to import food. Vincent noted that most Arab countries import over 90% of their nutritional needs. By addressing food waste, these countries can decrease the volume of imported food and, consequently, save costs.
How to Tackle Food Waste During Ramadan
Here are crucial steps to address the issue:
- Focus on changing people’s mindset about food during Ramadan.
- Reduce extravagant gatherings centered around food preparation.
- Launch awareness campaigns.
- Promote new ways to repurpose Ramadan food.
- Encourage community participation in problem-solving.
Dubai emphasizes religious values, especially during Ramadan. By using verses from the Quran that advocate for moderation and discourage wastefulness, the community can better understand and adopt these principles.
