A whopping amount of food is going to the trash every day during the holy month of Ramadhan and the volume of waste is soaring , according to NGOs working in this area.
Ramadhan is usually the month when mass Iftars are held as corporates, associations and NGOs organise Iftars daily.
The holy month of Ramadhan is a period to observe moderation. On the other hand, people buy food of all kinds and cook a large amount of food, with most of it ending in waste.
Shocking statistics According to the figures released by the National Center for Statistics and Information (NCSI), the loss incurred by the country annually in food wastage reached RO56mn, and the cost of municipal waste management is about RO100mn per year. Household food wastage in the Sultanate of Oman was estimated to be 95kg per person per year in 2019.
The Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs (MARA) has called on all to avoid food wastage and organise Iftars in mutual understanding so that no duplication gatherings are held.
"In order to reduce food waste, one should cook rationally and consume intelligently," Ali Al Hattali from MARA said.
"The best way to reduce food from being wasted is to cook an appropriate amount for the family. More importantly, one should understand that this month is not just for eating but to pay more attention to acts of worship and zakat as a Muslim gets a great reward from them," he said.
By and large, the consensus is to reduce food wastage during Ramadhan, just as the holy month is all about moderation and minimal wastage.
"One shouldn't prepare more food during the holy month or otherwise. We need to educate our children. Teach them how much effort these farmers put to grow grains and vegetables and dumping foods is an unthinkable crime," said Rasha Shaabu, a housewife in Muscat.
Efforts to preserve food from being wasted have been bringing in sufficient results and Jassim Salem al Hashemi from Al Buraimi has initiated a project to collect leftover food from hotels and restaurants and distribute them among the needy in some villages of the governorate.
'Niamah', a first-of-its kind initiative, has a large number of volunteers and cars equipped with the necessary equipment to operate a food bank, including collection and preservation of food from different sources.
For its exemplary services to the society and to the environment, it has already won the Sultan Qaboos Award for Voluntary Work.
Niamah deals with government and private entities that generate large amounts of food daily, including hotels, restaurants, commercial complexes, hypermarkets and wedding halls. In Ramadhan, it distributed 2,890 meals and 320 Ramadhan kits among the needy.
"We encourage the culture of reducing food waste and recycling surplus food especially during the holy month. We also want to be prepared throughout the year to provide food aid to those affected by disasters,” Jassim told the Observer.
"I believe that the best method is consciousness. We must believe that food wastage is morally, socially and financially a bad practice. It's time to start the Small Plate Movement to reduce food wastage," Hashmi adds, quoting the holy Quran, which says “And eat and drink, and do not be extravagant. Indeed, He does not like the extravagant.”
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