As part of the awareness campaign ‘Together against food waste!’ (‘Ensemble contre le gaspillage alimentaire!’), the Luxembourg Minister of Agriculture, Viticulture and Consumer Protection, Fernand Etgen, presented Anti-Waste Week, which is taking place from 28 November to 4 December 2016.
The initiative, which has been developed in collaboration with restaurant owners, has two parts. Firstly, the chefs taking part in the Anti-Waste Week, or ‘semaine AntiGaspi’, will offer an Anti-Waste dish of the day or meal course to their customers during the seven days. Secondly, restaurant owners will also get involved in spreading awareness among children by organising ‘anti-waste workshops’ in primary schools in their respective municipalities.
The campaign’s aim is to spread awareness of the issue among all consumers, both big and small. With the knowledge that 1 in 9 people in the world suffers from malnutrition and yet a third of the food produced worldwide is wasted, the Ministry thought it intolerable to continue ignoring the situation.
In this context, Minister Fernand Etgen is enjoying the support of the Minister of National Health, Childhood and Youth, Claude Meisch, on this campaign. The latter feels that “it is essential to make children aware of the value of their food from as young as possible.”
Meisch has also presented current attempts to limit waste in school and university canteens, for instance there will be an anti-waste week in schools and universities, organised by Restopolis from 5 to 9 December. During this period, there will be the distribution of brochures, advertisements, contests, and information stands in high schools, as well as anti-waste menus on offer.
Moreover, Fernand Etgen has reiterated that this is only the beginning of a large awareness programme. All future projects, such as an Anti-Waste competition, will be announced on the ministry’s website.
Photo by Ministry of Agriculture
