Τhe general objective of the project is to raise awareness of the importance of the problem and its possible solutions at all levels, to all actors at every step of the supply chain. Project will contribute to food rescue from waste and promote global efforts and collective action towards meeting the Sustainable Development Goal Target 12.3, which targets to halve food waste at the retail and consumer level by 2030 and reduce food losses along the food production and supply chains. The objectives are focused on the following directions: - Establish effective synergies and communication channels between humanitarian actors and food loss generators - Support food loss generators in assessing and measuring food waste and related factors - Equip humanitarian actors with tools for end-to-end food rescue chain management - Foster innovative practices for food rescue among all food loss generators - Enhance training for humanitarian staff involved in food distribution - Help Ho.Re.Ca. companies and supermarkets evaluate their environmental impact - Ensure compliance with EU regulations on food safety, hygiene, traceability, liability, etc. - Promote a common interpretation of EU rules on surplus food redistribution across Member State
Wast amount of food waste is generated annually across the EU, from production to consumer levels, resulting in significant economic, social, and environmental costs. Reducing this waste, whether packaged or raw, can improve resource efficiency, sustainability of food production, lower GHG emissions, and enhance public health in Europe and globally. Research indicates that targeted training programs could be instrumental in this effort by increasing awareness of food waste volumes across the Food Supply Chain, addressing environmental impact and tackling the ethical implications of global hunger (affecting nearly 12% of the population). This project will help participants assess factors that drive food loss (self-assessment tool), identify and evaluate solutions to mitigate waste (e-learning hub), develop tools and operational strategies and address logistical challenges that generate food loss (methodology framework). It will emphasize the role of digital tools in recovering lost food. Collaboration among diverse project partners, including food waste experts, chambers of commerce, technology providers, VET trainers, NGOs, project managers and dissemination organizations, will improve the competence of all partners in this field.