The “No to Food Waste” initiative aims to change public behavior that leads to food wastage AMMAN: Jordan is ramping up its efforts to combat food waste as part of its national campaign “No to Food Waste,” Jordan News Agency reported. The announcement was made by Agricultural Minister Khaled Hneifat to mark International Day of Zero Waste, which fell on Saturday. Jordan faces a critical challenge, with annual food waste reaching up to 1.136 million tons annually, equivalent to 101 kg per capita. The volume of waste could feed 1.5 million people for a year, Hneifat said, highlighting the urgency to conserve scarce natural resources and address water scarcity. Hneifat affirmed Jordan’s dedication to reducing food waste, which aligns with the “No to Food Waste” initiative, first launched by the Ministry of Agriculture in 2022, and the goals of the National Food Security Strategy 2021-2030. The strategy and its 2022-2024 action plan are geared toward innovative solutions to curb food wastage and enhance public awareness on sustainable consumption. The “No to Food Waste” initiative aims to change public behavior that leads to food wastage. It also supports entrepreneurial and research tracks to create waste management solutions and establish a framework for measuring food waste, in partnership with the Department of Statistics, with the goal of creating a national waste index. The initiative has attracted 37 teams from across Jordan, with the five most innovative ideas receiving $45,000 in total to develop their projects further, alongside other support for food waste management initiatives. The campaign also aims to cultivate a nationwide culture of eliminating food waste by coordinating initiatives across schools, mosques, churches, media outlets, and social incubators, striving to cut food loss and waste by 50 percent by 2030. Highlighting the campaign’s scope, Hneifat called for a unified national effort to foster a culture of responsible consumption and significantly reduce food waste in households, the hospitality industry, and beyond. This year-long campaign aims to educate Jordanians on the implications of food waste, targeting harmful habits and encouraging environmentally friendly practices.