UAE Initiates First Nationwide Survey to Monitor Food Loss and Waste by ne'ma
The National Food Loss and Waste Initiative (ne'ma) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) embarked on an 18-month nationwide study on May 7, 2025, to comprehensively measure and manage food loss and waste across the entire food supply chain. With the aim of halving food waste by 2030 in accordance with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 12.3, the extensive study spans all seven emirates and engages 3,000 participants from households, businesses, and public sector entities.
Recognizing the necessity for a unified and data-driven approach, ne'ma, along with strategic partners such as the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, the Abu Dhabi Agriculture & Food Safety Authority, Tadweer, Dubai Municipality, and others, seeks to establish national indices for food loss and waste. These well-defined metrics will serve as a foundation for long-term interventions and the eventual transition to a sustainable and circular economy.
Among the key milestones of the study includes a two-week, nationwide data collection effort scheduled for September 2025, during which household food waste will be directly measured. This highly detailed method will yield precise, instant insights regarding food waste occurrence, location, and the reasons behind it.
Notable figures like Khuloud Hassan Al Nuwais of Emirates Foundation underscored the significance of national cooperation, emphasizing that this study enables a unified strategy for the development of data-driven solutions. Officials from ADAFSA, Dubai Municipality, Tadweer, and Aldar echoed this sentiment, lauding the study's potential for fostering both environmental and economic benefits.
The culmination of the research will lead to the publication and submission of the final report in the first half of 2026, with its distribution globally underscoring the UAE's commitment to sustainable development. In doing so, the UAE positions itself as a trailblazer in regional food system resilience by engaging, communities, and sectors across the nation—a deliberate step towards reducing food waste and preserving essential natural resources for future generations.
- The National Food Loss and Waste Initiative (ne'ma) in the UAE is collaborating with strategic partners to establish national indices for food loss and waste, aiming for a sustainable and circular economy.
- With the aim of halving food waste by 2030, the 18-month study, which began on May 7, 2025, involves 3,000 participants from households, businesses, and public sector entities across all seven emirates.
- The study includes a two-week, nationwide data collection effort in September 2025, focusing on measuring household food waste for precise insights into food waste occurrence, location, and reasons.
- Key figures like Khuloud Hassan Al Nuwais of Emirates Foundation emphasize the importance of national cooperation for this study, as it enables a unified strategy for the development of data-driven solutions.
- Officials from the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, Abu Dhabi Agriculture & Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA), Dubai Municipality, Tadweer, and Aldar are optimistic about the study's potential for fostering both environmental and economic benefits.
- The final report of the study, scheduled for publication and global distribution in the first half of 2026, will underscore the UAE's commitment to sustainable development and its role as a trailblazer in regional food system resilience.
- By reducing food waste and preserving natural resources, the UAE is taking deliberate steps to address climate-change issues, as well as contributing to general news and policy-and-legislation discussions on food-and-drink and environmental-science.
