DUBAI, 26th March, 2025 (WAM) - The UAE Food Bank has announced a strategic partnership with the National Food Loss and Waste Initiative "Ne'ma", aiming to enhance support for eligible groups and contribute to environmental sustainability through a pioneering initiative that manages surplus food, reduces waste, and ensures its delivery to the largest possible number of target groups within the country.

The initiative is part of charitable and humanitarian efforts during the holy month of Ramadan this year.

The initiative aims to provide one million meals from surplus food to deserving segments of the community during the holy month, now in its third consecutive year. It aligns with the UAE's vision to promote social and environmental responsibility, especially following the declaration of 2025 as the "Year of the Community."

The initiative involves collaboration with over 75 hotel establishments to collect and distribute untouched surplus food to eligible recipients. It will be implemented in Dubai in cooperation with the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism.

The initiative focuses on safe and efficient management of food surplus to minimize waste. The UAE Food Bank will collect consumable surplus food and redistribute it to beneficiaries across the UAE. Meanwhile, inedible food will be converted into oil and agricultural compost in collaboration with the "Reloop" app by iCycle International Recycling, contributing to environmental protection and supporting circular economy principles.

Khuloud Hassan Al Nowais, Chief Sustainability Officer at Emirates Foundation and Secretary General of the "Ne'ma" Committee, stated,
"The cooperation between 'Ne'ma' and the UAE Food Bank is a key step towards unifying efforts to enhance resource sustainability and reduce food waste in society. Through this partnership, we are working together on developing innovative, technology-supported solutions for distributing food safely and efficiently, reflecting our deep commitment to social responsibility, environmental protection, and the UAE's goal to significantly reduce food waste."

Manal Bin Yaroof, Head of the Executive Team at the UAE Food Bank, said, "This collaboration is part of a long-term strategic vision to address the issue of food waste in the UAE in a comprehensive and sustainable way. It supports the UAE Food Bank's goals and vision of achieving leadership and sustainability in surplus food management-collecting, preserving, and delivering it with the highest quality to those in need, anytime and anywhere. It reflects the values of generosity and giving that the Bank has embraced since its inception."