Safeguarding food and environment in Qatar

Waste Management in the Food Chain

Utilisation of food Changing consumption/

Local food producers Accessibility of foodDistribution by importers and retailers

Availability of foodDemand planning andshelf life management

SAFE-Q is a 3-year joint research project funded by the QNRF and seeking to develop perspectives on food waste as well as its impact on food security in Qatar. This international collaboration brings together experts from Georgetown University in Qatar, Cranfield University (UK), Brunel University London (UK), and Western Sydney University (Australia).

Located in a region with low capacity to be self-sustaining in food; Qatar imports approximately 90% of food consumed in the country. Environmental, operational, and behavioural pressures on the food supply chains of Qatar result in wastage of food in its highest added-value form.

The project investigates supply and demand sides of the food supply chain, examining the causes of food waste occurring in particular during the handling, distribution, transportation, and storage as well as post purchase and consumption.

After structuring the problem, this project involves developing simulation models of food waste, assessing risks, and identifying and providing policy recommendations to reduce, and eliminate where possible, the waste.

Partner institutions:

Food Security

Stability of food provision

Utilisation of food

ChangingConsumption

Waste managementin food chain

Environmental Sustainability

Distributionof food

Availability of food

Access to food

Intended impacts of SAFE-Q are:

• To create resilience within the food supply chain.

• To enhance levels of organisational efficiency in distribution of food through reducing food waste.

• To better understand the organisational and social influences that can promote food security.

The project promotes food waste reduction as a complementary strategy to Qatar’s ongoing efforts for achieving food security and environmental sustainability and contributes to the implementation

of the “Qatar National Vision 2030”, thereby focusing on the long-term sustainability of the food supply chain and the interconnection between the four principles of economic, human, social,

and environmental development.

@SafeqProjecthttps://blogs.commons.georgetown.edu/safeq/

This publication was made possible by NPRP grant # [NPRP 7-1103-5-156] from the Qatar National Research Fund (a member of Qatar Foundation). The statements made herein are solely the responsibility of the authors.