Feeding thousands

Each day the Kingdom of Bahrain disposes of 400,000+ kgs of waste, which is a figure the Bahrain Food Bank is working tirelessly to reduce by feeding families in need.

Nazley Jordan

Some 146,000 tons of food waste is discarded each year, which costs the Kingdom 95 million BD per annum. The Food Bank is trying to combat this problem by collecting and repackaging surplus food and distributing it to people in need.

Established in 2017, the Food Bank is run by the Conserving Bounties Society (CBS), which is a non-profit, voluntary association licensed by the Ministry of Social Development. Since the outbreak of the Corona virus pandemic, the organisation has provided meals for 10,000 individuals and 1,800 families.

The Food Bank works with local charities and non-profit organisations to distribute food to low-income families, migrant workers, and individuals who are homeless or living in shelters. By providing nutritious meals to those in need, it is helping to improve public health and reduce the risk of malnutrition and foodborne illnesses.

The initiative has helped to reduce the volume of food waste that is sent to landfills, which not only helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also conserves valuable resources such as water, energy, and land.

“Through our work, we notice that the percentage of food waste during the holy month has almost doubled due to the large number of family gatherings and special occasions for Ramadan breakfasts and ghabgas,” Mr Ahmed Al Kuwaity, Managing Director of the Bahrain Food Bank (BFB) told Gulf Daily News.

“We urge the Bahraini society, institutions and individuals to support us in achieving our goals in reducing wastage,” he told the publication. BFB, which aims to reduce waste through several awareness campaigns follows two main aims of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) –eradication of hunger and changing consumption and recycling patterns.

Another pillar of the organisation is limiting food waste, which is being addressed through a number of awareness campaigns. CBS aims to encourage citizens to avoid buying or preparing more food than is necessary, as well as saving surplus food and distributing it to people in need.

The organisation has also established a sustainable agriculture programme to promote local food production and reduce reliance on imported foods.

While the food bank operates throughout the year, the holy month of Ramadan tends to be its busiest time.