Buenos Aires is tackling the growing challenges of food waste and food shortages with a source-based strategy targeting households, schools, and restaurants.
The sustainable urban food strategy in Argentina’s capital is reducing food waste sent to landfill. In recent years, the city has been praised for recognizing the importance and rights of informal waste-pickers, as well as processing municipal waste sustainably. But the newest strategy aims to tackle a more culturally ingrained attitude to food waste. Starting in primary schools and working with the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization, the city aims to disseminate information about best practices for minimizing and dealing with food waste. The information campaign also focuses on restaurants and communities, where workshops will be held to engage citizens.
In addition, the University of Bologna recently launched a survey on food waste in the city, which is the first research of its kind in Latin America. The city hopes to use the results as a starting point to cut food waste further and determine how to reallocate surplus food to the hungry.
50,000 citizens were reached in the first year of awareness raising
The challenge
It is estimated that 16 million tonnes of food are thrown away annually in Argentina; meanwhile, 32% of the population lives below the poverty line. This is the first municipal strategy that aims to tackle both problems simultaneously.
Co-benefits
Economic Reducing waste volumes benefits consumers, who save money on food shops, as well as the municipality, which saves money via reduced waste processing.
Environmental Combatting waste sent to landfill will reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and methane produced via fermentation in landfills.
Social Creating a mechanism to collect surplus food to feed those below the poverty line will create a fairer city with lower inequality levels.
About Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and most populous city of Argentina. “Buenos aires” can be translated as “fair winds” or “good airs”. The Greater Buenos Aires conurbation, constitutes the fourth-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas, with a population of around 17 million. Buenos Aires is considered an ‘alpha city’ by the study GaWC5. Buenos Aires’ quality of life was ranked 81st in the world and one of the best in Latin America in 2012, with its per capita income among the three highest in the region. Buenos Aires is a top tourist destination, and is known for its preserved Spanish/European-style architecture and rich cultural life.
