Presentation of Manifest against Food Wastage

Nine hundred million people suffer from insufficient food and a poor diet, while one-third of the first world population suffers from obesity caused by an inadequate diet and excess of food. Only half of the food that is currently thrown away would be enough to feed all the millions of people who go hungry.

21/02/2014

In Catalonia, food wastage in the homes, stores and restaurants produced 262,471 tonnes in 2010 (this did not take into account food wastage in farming, agrifood industries or wholesale distribution). At global level 1.3 billion tonnes of food is lost from farm to fork, according to estimates of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

That is why the UAB - which has always stood out for its involvement in the fight against food wastage and has carried out actions over the years to raise awareness of this blatant reality - promoted and coordinated the manifest "Prou Malbaratar Aliments". The manifest, which will be presented on Thursday 20 February at Casa Convalescència, aims to get "people from the different sectors along the food chain to work together and detect where food goes to waste and to find the best ways to prevent this", explains Paco Muñoz, technician of the UAB Environmental Office.

The presentation will begin at 10:30 am, at the conference hall (Aula Magna) of the Casa Convalescència. The opening speech will be given by Manel Sabés, Vice-Rector for Institutional Relations and Environment. Following the speech, different companies and organisations, all related to the food chain, will present the tasks they are undertaking to help prevent food wastage and the commitments they will abide by in signing the manifest.

Delegates from the following entities will participate in the presentation:

-Gallecs Agroecological Association
-AECOC Foodwaste Project
-Caprabo
-Alícia Foundation
-Organisation of Consumers and Users of Catalonia
-Food Bank Foundation
-Red Cross of Catalonia
-Catalan Waste Agency
-Environmental Area Association
-Oxfam Intermón
-Barcelona City Council
-Ciutat Meridiana Neighbours' Association

At 12 noon Gaby Susanna, president of the Plataforma per l'Aprofitament dels Aliments (platform advocating for putting food to good use) will present and read the manifest "Prou Malbaratar Aliments". Copies of the manifest will be given to all signing entities.

Following the reading of the manifest, at 12:20 pm, an action to raise awareness on food wastage will take place. The action will consists of attendants eating a slice of bread accompanied with salt and oil, and marmalade made from damaged fruit.

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