Want to stop wasting food? UAE’s new study aims for real change – Here's how

Abu Dhabi: A first-of-its-kind study has been launched in the UAE to measure actual food loss and waste.

The 18-month study by the National Food Loss and Waste Initiative (ne’ma) will engage a representative sample of more than 3,000 participants. The UAE Food Loss and Waste Baseline Study will assess waste across the entire food value chain, with participation from households, businesses, and public sector entities nationwide.

Findings from the study will be revealed by ne’ma in the first half of 2026. These insights will help shape national food loss and waste indices and inform data-driven strategies for intervention. The study sets the stage for systemic change and strengthens the UAE’s efforts to ensure long-term food security and sustainability.

Two-week field survey

Now underway, the study invites active participation from households, and the private and public sectors, to help identify where and why food is most often lost or wasted, enabling smarter solutions to be designed. A major milestone will take place in September 2025 during a focused two-week field survey, which will include direct measurement of food waste at the household level.

Residents across all seven emirates will contribute valuable insights, helping shape a more sustainable future. The data collected will be rigorously analysed to develop national indices and establish a baseline that reflects the UAE’s current status, allowing for measurable progress in reducing food loss and waste.

Major partners
The study is the result of a coordinated national effort, bringing together strategic partners including the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE), Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA), Tadweer Group, Dubai Municipality, Dubai Environment and Climate Change Authority (DECCA), and Aldar, with additional support from the local municipalities and authorities, the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre (FCSC) and local statistics centres across the UAE.

Accurate, data-driven
Khuloud Hassan Al Nuwais, Chief Sustainability Officer of Emirates Foundation and ne’ma Committee Secretary General, said that tackling food loss and waste requires national collaboration and a unified approach to measure waste across the supply chain.
“Through the UAE’s first National Baseline Study, ne’ma is engaging public, private sector, and community members in building an accurate, data-driven picture of where and how food is lost or wasted. This will enable the UAE to track progress against reduction targets.”

Dr Essam Sharaf Al Hashmi, Director of the Office of Special Studies, ADAFSA; Manal Obaid Yaroof, Head of the Executive Team of the UAE Food Bank, representing Dubai Municipality; Abdulwahid Jumaa Freish, Executive Director of Communication and Awareness, Tadweer Group; and Salwa Al Maflahi,  Group Executive Director of Sustainability and Community Outreach, Aldar Properties; attended the launch event.
The final report from the study will be shared both nationally and internationally, contributing to global knowledge-sharing efforts on food loss and waste reduction.