About ne'ma

Who are we

ne’ma, the UAE’s National Food Loss and Waste Initiative, is a reflection of our President of the UAE, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s vision and call to action to reduce food loss and waste, encourage social responsibility and promote sustainable practices across the food supply chain, thereby advancing food security.

Our target is clear on cutting food loss and waste by half by the year 2030, affecting behavioral change in how we approach this challenge and collectively striving towards a sustainable future. ne’ma is a collaborative effort with the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, the Emirates Foundation and many other stakeholders across the nation to build a network of trusted food loss and waste champions in the UAE.

What we do

ne’ma works to engage all stakeholders across the food value chain to take actions to reduce food loss and waste through a coordinated and structured approach. ne’ma’s ambition is to inspire people to look differently at food, rethink and reimagine our habits to cherish food as a blessing for generations to come, and shape and convey an engaging and enticing vision for the future.

ne’ma takes a holistic and structured approach to drive systemic changes through a number of sub-projects across key strategic pillars. ne’ma sets the national baseline and strategy to achieve the national food loss and waste reduction targets, focusing on behavioral science to create new social norms. Additionally, the initiative raises awareness and influences people’s behaviors towards more positive actions. ne’ma also builds an enabling environment through reviewing and introducing new policies and innovative solutions to fill systemic gaps. This approach aims to drive circular and regenerative food-eco systems. ne’ma engages stakeholders through the scaling up of key pilots, partnering with food banks, retailors, and the hospitality sector to redirect surplus food/meals to those in need, among other valuable efforts.

ne’ma Vision

To become a nation where no food is wasted.

ne’ma Mission

To drive food loss and waste reduction by fostering collaboration, inspiring sustainable behaviors, enacting regulations, and measuring impact to achieve zero waste.

The UAE National Food Security Strategy 2051, developed by the Ministry of Climate Change & Environment, prioritizes reducing food waste as one of its top five priorities.

As the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal custodian, ne'ma's role encompasses the development of the UAE Food Index through the national baseline study to better understand and quantify the problem. This will support the development and implementation of the National Strategy for food loss and waste.

How will ne’ma solve the food loss and food waste problem?

ne’ma addresses food loss and waste through a systemic and holistic approach, focusing on key enablers and initiatives to achieve its vision:

1Capacity Building

Develop robust systems for measuring, monitoring, and reporting FLW data in line with international standards.

2Community Engagement

Increase awareness and drive behavioral change through targeted community outreach.

3Public-Private Partnerships

Promote collaboration between sectors to implement effective FLW solutions.

4Innovation

Leverage innovative solutions to drive systemic change and support circular food systems.

5Policy Leadership

Advocate for and support the development of federal and emirate-level FLW mandates, policies and regulations.

What will ne’ma do to solve the food loss and food waste problem?

ne’ma will mobilize all sectors to address hotspots and scale opportunities across the food value chain, including:

1Open Channels for Imperfect Produce

Address challenges related to retailers’ specifications and buyer preferences to reduce waste.

2Optimize the Supply Chain

Implement solutions to minimize food loss and advocate for investments in cold chain technologies to extend food product longevity.

3Regulate Shelf Life

Explore regulations to prolong food shelf life and educate the public on label specifics.

4Scale Food Rescue

Enhance food rescue and valorization practices across the value chain.

5Develop Infrastructure

Collaborate to create systems for separating food waste from general waste to measure the scale of the food waste problem.