COMCEC
Reducing Food Waste
In the OIC Member Countries
8.2. P o licy re c o m m e n d a t io n s
The recommendations proposed provide a course o f action for COMCEC and its mem ber
countries. Food waste is a complex issue, and as such policies should be developed in
collaboration w ith stakeholders to ensure they are fit for purpose, and recognised the unique
political, social and cultural dynam ics of the countries represented. The fo llow ing policy
recommendations are proposed:
• Improved measurement, targets, reporting and monitoring: COMCEC should
bu ild on this study to further measure and understand the scale of food waste in
additional OIC Member Countries, or encourage ind iv idual m em ber states to
undertake their own studies to develop a more robust set o f data and to give a truer
reflection of the extent of food waste. Methodology(ies) used should adop t or be
guided by the W R I’s ‘Food Loss and Waste Protocol’ and ‘S tandard’.
• Support sustainable food systems and integrated supply chains: Any actions to
reduce food waste in households and the food service sector should consider the
w ider context of food and its role in society w ith in a broader food system. It should
encompass issues such as the environmental and social impacts associated w ith the
production, processing, delivery, retail, consum p tion and disposal of food. This could
include, for example, inco rporating food waste into national dietary guidelines (as
per Qatar), or collaborating w ith UNEP on the ir ‘Sustainable Food Systems P rogram ’.
• Develop and /o r adjust legislation, and initiate a roadmap for action: Food waste
legislation across the OIC Member Countries is lim ited or lacking. It is recommended
COMCEC produce a basic set of principles for drafting legislation on solid waste
m anagem ent tha t acknowledges the food waste hierarchy. In addition, COMCEC
should review food label legislation to ensure current label requirements do no t
unnecessarily confuse the consumer. It is proposed th a t an overarching member
state food waste reduction roadm ap is developed to meet the Sustainable
Development Goal 12.3 of halv ing food waste by 2030. A fo rum of stakeholders is
proposed to guide the development and im p lem en tation of such a roadmap.
• Promotion of food banks and food distribution networks: Food banks are a
success story w ith in m any OIC Member Countries. It is recommended COMCEC
further prom ote the Egyptian-based food bank model, and share this am ong its
m em ber states in collaboration w ith the Arab Food Bank Regional Network (FBRN).
• Cohesive initiatives and campaigns to improve knowledge: The evidence is clear,
those interviewed felt they w ou ld reduce food waste further if they had more
know ledge o f the issue. This highlights the need for COMCEC to co-ordinate a
household and the food service sector food waste reduction campaign.
In conclusion, there is a role for COMCEC to play in reducing food waste in households and the
food service sector. Some excellent examples of good practice exist th a t can be shared and learnt
from, and in ternational collaborative efforts to engage w ith. The journey is complex due to the
huge variations in political, social and econom ic dimensions of the various countries, however
this also provides an oppo rtun ity for some who are starting from new to incorporate food waste
reduction principles into new legislation or initiatives, w h ilst those show ing leadership are
encouraged and supported to continue to do so and share their experiences.
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