Georgia celebrates International Day of Zero Waste with food loss forum

Marking the International Day of Zero Waste, state authorities, associations, charity organizations and private-sector representatives convened in Tbilisi on 30 March for a national forum on food loss and waste reduction and food donation. The event was organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) as part of the European Neighbourhood Programme for Agriculture and Rural Development (ENPARD IV), funded by the European Union.

The forum joined key actors from across the food system to strengthen partnerships, align efforts and accelerate the development of practical solutions to reduce food loss and waste in Georgia. Through presentations, discussions and networking, participants explored how to build a more efficient system that values surplus food and ensures that it reaches those in need.

“On the International Day of Zero Waste, we are celebrating substantive progress in Georgia in transforming the challenge of food loss and waste into an opportunity for improved food security,” said Raimund Jehle, FAO Representative in Georgia. “With the legal framework in place and growing engagement from the private sector, food banks and charity organizations, the foundations of an effective food donation system are already in place. Strengthening coordination and partnerships will be key to scaling these efforts.”

During the ceremony, participants signed a joint statement to reaffirm their commitment to support ongoing efforts in Georgia to reduce food loss and waste and promote food donations, in line with national priorities and Sustainable Development Goal 12 (Sustainable Consumption and Production).

Supported by FAO and the European Union, Georgia adopted its Law on Food Loss and Waste Reduction and Food Donation in 2023, creating an enabling environment for food donation. Since then, public institutions, private-sector actors and civil society organizations have been building a system to facilitate the redistribution of surplus food. Charity groups – such as Enkenia, the country’s first accredited food bank – have played a key role in this process, and newly introduced incentives enable accredited retailers to donate food without additional tax burden.

“The European Union has supported the introduction of the legal framework in Georgia to address the reduction of food loss and food waste, as well as food donation,” said Ketevan Khutsishvili, Programme Manager of the European Union in Georgia in charge of Emergency Management, Civil Protection, Rural Development and Intellectual Property Rights. “Apart from the change of consumer behaviour, it is important to address supply chain issues and technology and infrastructure management. Ultimately, environmental and economic impact, reaching to the contribution to climate change and resource depletion mitigation, will also reduce the respective economic cost.”

The European Union has built a close partnership with Georgia for more than 30 years, supporting its development through the sharing of knowledge and experience, expertise, innovation and financial support. The relationship between the European Union and the citizens of Georgia is based on shared values of peace, freedom, democracy, human rights and inclusive economic growth.

Through its ENPARD programme, the European Union supports rural development in Georgia. Aiming to reduce rural poverty, ENPARD has been implemented since 2013. The programme began by supporting the development of national agriculture potential in Georgia, and then concentrated on creating economic opportunities for rural populations. Since 2021, it has been working on improving food safety in the country, with support from FAO and the Czech Development Agency under ENPARD IV.

© FAO/Davit Khelashvili