An information day on “Reducing food waste: stakes, solutions and collective actions” was held on Friday, February 28, 2025 at the Mechtel Hotel in Tunis. The day was organized by the Institut National de la Consommation (INC), in collaboration with FAO Tunis, to raise awareness of the importance of reducing food waste and to announce the launch of a national strategy to reduce food waste.
The topics covered included the presentation of experiences adopted nationwide and in certain countries to reduce food waste, as well as the current data on food waste in Tunisia and the methodology used to assess the situation.
At the top of the agenda was the experience of the municipality of Halk El Oued in reducing food waste.
The event also featured a presentation of Tunisian university research into food waste.
The information day was attended by the signatories of the National Charter for the Reduction of Food Waste, representatives of several administrative bodies involved in the reduction of food waste, experts in the field such as experts from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Tunis, university professors and researchers, associations and organizations concerned with consumption, actors in the agri-food sector, representatives of supermarkets, restaurants, university and school canteens.
Lamia Abroug, Chief of Staff to the Minister of Trade and Export Development, stressed the importance of this strategy, especially given the mixed results of previous efforts to combat food waste. “Fighting this phenomenon is no longer an option; it is a necessity,” she said, stressing the need for a radical change in the way food is consumed.
She underscored the need for a radical change in consumer behavior in the face of the serious consequences of food waste, including the over-exploitation of natural resources, the depletion of water resources and the increase in greenhouse gas emissions.
According to Zoubeir Rebah, Director of Studies and Surveys at the INC, food waste in Tunisian households represents 5% of food expenditure, or 910 million dinars, in 2021. The main food products wasted are bread (16% of the quantities consumed), cereal products (10%) and vegetables (7%).
TunisianMonitorOnline (Sami Ben Yahia: Consultant in CSR and Sustainable Development)
