Hifz Al Naema volunteers distribute iftaar boxes during Ramadan
DOHA: The local food saving centre, “Hifz Al Naema”, has distributed more than 2.5 million meals since its establishment till the end of 2017 taking surplus foods from banquets and parties.
In order to fight the waste of food and to rationalise consumption, the centre was established in Qatar ten year ago. After a year of its establishment, it distributed about 130,000 meals, and by the end of 2017, it had distributed a total of more than 2.5 million meals, said Head of Public Relations in Hifz Al Naema Center, Youssef Al Khulaifi, QNA has reported.
He said that the centre has 10 buses to collect food and redistribute it to needy families during the holy month of Ramadan. The Centre’s 27 staff members are distributed among the various work mechanisms.
The holy month of Ramadan is characterised by being one of generosity with guests, and with the poor. He pointed out that this urge for generosity sometimes crosses a line to reach a state of extravagance that leads to unjustified waste. He also highlighted that the wisdom of fasting is to experience the life of people in need of the weak and needy.
Al Khulaifi stressed that the Qatari society was a generous one. He added that this was evident in the amount of communication the centre receives daily from individuals and companies. He also noted that the real problem was trying to adequately meet that response.
The Ministry of Economy and Commerce called on consumers to take some precautionary measures to reduce food waste, such as setting a food budget for one week or a month and committing to it, buying less food when shopping. The concept of food waste is the quantities of food that are destroyed or disposed, so that they are not consumed and are suitable for human consumption at different levels and stages of the food supply chain from production to household consumption.
The waste from an economic perspective is about inefficiency in spending money, where it can be used or saved or invested and stimulate the economy instead of spending them.
The Ministry of Economy and Commerce (MEC) highlighted that the waste from the social perspective is to boast of the quantities and types of foods that are served simply for bragging and showing off.
During holy Ramadan, statistical reports indicate that half of the food is disposed of by throwing it in the garbage by individuals and families in the country, indicating that the food provided exceeds the capacity of the person, and this is prohibited by the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him.
MEC launched a number of awareness programmes during holy Ramadan, under the slogan “Less than Duty” to promote moderate consumer culture, define his rights and duties and support him to plan properly and benefit from the virtues of this holy month.
These initiatives, according to the Ministry’s website, include all the Ministry’s activities related to organising, supporting and motivating, such as the subsidized sheep initiative, the list of reduced consumer goods, and others, as well as conducting intensive inspections before and during the Ramadan, and organizing a number of awareness programs on various consumer and commercial topics.
