“The government has defined a strategy to combat food waste for which a national commission to combat this waste will be created ... involving 10 ministries and various units of civil society,” Vieira said. “As well as the strategy it will define, it will present a plan of action with very specific objectives before the end of 2016.”
The secretary of state was making a short speech at an event to present a municipal campaign in Lisbon against food waste.
He said that the government “is totally committed to collaborating with the various entities of civil society that have done remarkable work” to reduce this “fundamental problem that affects everyone.”
Portugal’s parliament has declared 2016 as National Year to Combat Food Waste.
According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, one third of food worldwide is wasted.
The FAO’s representative in Portugal, Hélder Muteia, said on Thursday that this is a problem in all countries, whether developed or less developed: in the former because of excess food and in the latter because of inadequate storage conditions.