The "Reduce Food Waste" (REFOWAS) project addresses the issue of avoidable food waste in Germany. The final conference will take place in Berlin on March 19, 2018. Here is a brief overview of the project's methods and objectives.
Ways to reduce food waste
The research project, commissioned by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), examines food waste along the entire value chain. Its stated goal, in collaboration with partners (University of Stuttgart, Max Rubner Institute, Thünen Institute, and the Consumer Advice Center of North Rhine-Westphalia), is to identify the various aspects of food waste and develop proposals for its reduction . The study will run until mid-2018, but the results will be presented at the final conference in Berlin on March 19 .
The practical approach of the research project is crucial: a fundamental analysis of food waste should lead to implementable solutions . For example, the Thünen Institute is conducting case studies on fruit and vegetable cultivation , processing, and marketing; the University of Stuttgart is doing the same for bakery production and marketing . The proposed solutions will be developed based on the results.
Initial findings on school meals: Up to 50% avoidable waste
An important aspect of the project includes addressing food waste in school meals, and initial results have already been published. It is estimated that around one-third of school food waste could be avoided with simple measures. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) makes concrete suggestions, such as offering more child-friendly menus and controlling portion sizes to adjust production accordingly. These measures have already resulted in a reduction of between 14 and 48 percent of food waste in kitchens, serving areas, and cafeterias.
Sustainable development towards a "Green Economy"
Between eight and eleven million tons of avoidable food end up in the trash in Germany every year. Food waste is not only an ethical issue, but above all an ecological problem. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimates that one-third of the world's food production is not used for human consumption each year. On the other hand, approximately 50% of all food is thrown away in private households. Reducing this waste can significantly contribute to lowering the environmental and resource demands and emissions associated with food production and consumption. This also highlights the complexity of the problem: food waste is no longer solely a matter for private consumers , but an economic problem with far-reaching consequences.
For the REFOWAS study: http://refowas.de/
