Reducing Food Waste

In the OIC Member Countries

COMCEC

Measures and strategies implemented to reduce food waste

Very few measures have been implemented to reduce food waste in Cameroonian households

and the food service sector. Those that have, or could, focus on the agricultural component of

the food chain, for example the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development's (MINADER)

efforts to raise awareness with farmers to conserve their products and construct appropriate

storage facilities to protect their food. Larger initiatives, such as the National Program of

Vulgarization and Agricultural Research (PNVRA) aims to enhance the productivity of agri

pastoral and aquaculture farms, and the Agricultural Markets Investment and Development

Project (PIDMA) aims to enhance the productivity and competitiveness of maize, cassava and

sorghum value chains to meet agro-business demands could all incorporate food waste

components.

No legislation was identified to regulate food waste. However, all businesses in Cameroon are

mandated to treat their products before disposal. Whilst this is mandated it is seldom

implemented. At a household level, the custom is to dry leftover or surplus food instead of

throwing it away (UDA Consulting (2016).

Specific recommendations to reduce household and food service food waste in Cameroon

Based on the survey findings, and research into current interventions, the following specific

recommendations to reduce household and food service sector food waste in Cameroon are

suggested:

• Electricity cuts in Cameroon create issues with storage used for cooling and keeping

food fresh. At a state level the inconsistency in electricity supply needs to be

addressed, and on a more practical and localized level, innovations should be

encouraged to identify off-grid solutions for cool storage.

• A significant proportion of Cameroon’s population suffers from malnutrition. Efforts

to capture food lost along the supply chain and distribute it to the less fortunate

should be a priority. Structures, legislation and incentives should be put in place to

encourage and enable organisations to readily distribute and donate food.

• Many Cameroonians are not aware of the impact improved storage and better

shopping methods could have on reducing food waste. They are also not aware of the

environmental impacts associated with food waste. As such, initiatives should be put

in place to improve the knowledge of householders and the food service sector to

reduce waste. This could be done through a national campaign, such as the UK’s ‘Love

Food Hate Waste’, or UNEP’s ‘Think.Eat.Save’.