By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Sept 28: A 2022 study by Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) revealed that between 50 to 60 per cent of food harvested and produced from homes, businesses, restaurants, hotels, and markets in Kuching City ends up in landfills.
This substantial amount of food waste constitutes approximately 62 per cent of the organic content in municipal waste, which is disposed of at the Kuching Integrated Waste Management Park in Mambong.
Highlighting this concerning statistic, Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian stressed the urgent need to address food waste and called for cooperation from all stakeholders, including food producers, retailers, and consumers.
“As food is wasted on such a large scale, up to 783 million people around the world face food shortages every year,” he said.
His remarks were delivered by Deputy Minister of Energy and Environment Sustainability Datuk Dr Hazland Abang Hipni during the launch of the ‘Scraps to Scrumptious’ awareness video series by Trienekens Sarawak.
Dr Sim, who is also Minister of Public Health, Housing, and Local Government, urged all parties to work towards preventing and reducing food waste by implementing responsible production and consumption practices across the supply chain.
He emphasised that sustainable land use and responsible management of natural resources are essential to preserving Sarawak’s environment, ecosystems, and biodiversity.
“Food waste is a major contributor to climate change because it releases harmful greenhouse gases as it decomposes in landfills.
“Waste impacts the food supply chain at both ends and along the way (from production to consumption). The impacts of food waste are multifaceted and can have far-reaching consequences on the environment, economy, and society. We use land, water, fuel, energy, manpower, and many other resources to produce the food we eat daily.
“By reducing food waste and implementing proper waste management practices, we can significantly reduce our carbon footprint and mitigate the effects of climate change,” he added.
In support of the initiative, the Natural Resouces and Environment Board (NREB) Controller for Environmental Quality, Jack Liam, emphasised the need to relook and rethink Sarawak’s approach to food management.
“Through awareness and educational programmes such as this video series, we are able to highlight the importance of reducing waste to sustain our natural resources,” he said.
‘Scraps to Scrumptious’ is a 12-episode zero-food-waste initiative showcasing creative recipes that turn unwanted or discarded ingredients into nutritious meals. Developed by Trienekens Sarawak in collaboration with MasterChef Asia finalist Jasbir Kaur, the series aims to inspire individuals and communities to adopt sustainable practices and reduce food waste.
Trienekens Group chief executive officer Stephen Chin said that the video series exemplifies the company’s commitment to addressing the critical issue of food waste.
“By showcasing how simple yet innovative recipes can be created from discarded ingredients or leftover food, we aim to inspire the public to take their food waste seriously and work towards minimising it for a sustainable future,” he said.
To further raise awareness, Trienekens is also organising a zero-food-waste video competition for youths, encouraging young people to spread the message about food waste prevention.
The launch of the series coincides with the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste and is part of the National Environmental Day 2024 celebrations organised by NREB Sarawak in October. — DayakDaily
