Saudi Arabia sees 4 million tons of food waste annually, worth SR40 billion

News Network

October 1, 2023

Riyadh: The percentage of food loss and waste in Saudi Arabia reached about 33%, equivalent to 4 million tons annually, while its value is estimated at about SR40 billion annually.

The statistics were revealed in a study conducted by the National Program to Reduce Food Loss and Waste, coinciding with the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste (IDAFLW), which falls on Sept. 29 of each year.

The General Food Security Authority (GFSA), represented by the program, launched an awareness campaign on Friday.

The campaign aims to increase the awareness of the importance of food security and promote sound consumption practices, as well as stimulating the adoption of solutions that contribute to reducing food waste.

The Governor of GFSA Eng. Ahmed Al-Faris has confirmed that Saudi Arabia is working on enhancing the sustainability of the natural resources, and improving the consumption system in order to reduce the loss and waste rate to about 10% by 2030.

The GFSA has launched its campaign to raise awareness of the importance of rational consumer behavior, he added, pointing out that awareness is one of the best ways to influence the behavior of community members.

Immediately after the awareness campaign was launched, it has witnessed a great interaction from members of society, government agencies, private sector, and associations, Eng. Al-Faris said.

It is noteworthy that, according to United Nations reports, the volume of global food loss and waste was estimated at 1.3 billion tons, representing one-third of the food produced globally.

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Voting underway in Karnataka bypolls: Family legacies and political heavyweights battle across 3 segments

News Network

November 13,2024

Bengaluru: An estimated overall 10.14 per cent voter turnout was recorded during the first two hours, since the voting began for bypolls to three Assembly segments in Karnataka on Wednesday, election officials said.

The voting began at 7 am and will go on till 6 pm.

More than seven lakh voters are eligible to cast their votes in about 770 polling stations in Shiggaon, Sandur and Channapatna, where a total of 45 candidates are in the fray.

While Channapatna recorded 10.34 per cent voter turnout till 9 am, it was 10.08 per cent in Shiggaon, and 9.99 per cent in Sandur, election officials said.

Voters, including women and elderly were seen queuing up in front of polling booths in these segments.

By-polls for Sandur, Shiggaon, and Channapatna are necessitated, as the seats fell vacant following the election of their respective representatives -- E Tukaram of Congress, former CM Basavaraj Bommai of BJP, and Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy of JD(S) -- to Lok Sabha in May elections.

As many as 31 candidates are in the fray from Channapatna, while Sandur and Shiggaon have six and eight contenders, respectively.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made in the three segments for the smooth conduct of the polls.

The by-polls will witness a straight fight between the ruling Congress and BJP in Sandur and Shiggaon segments, while in Channapatna, JD(S) which is part of the NDA alliance is in contest against the grand old party.

Among the three segments, Channapatna is considered to be a "high profile", where the contest is between C P Yogeeshwara, a five time MLA from the segment and former Minister, who joined the Congress quitting BJP ahead of nomination, and actor-turned -politician Nikhil Kumaraswamy, who is Kumaraswamy’s son and former PM H D Deve Gowda's grandson.

BJP's Bharath Bommai, son of Basavaraj Bommai, is fighting Congress Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan, who had faced defeat against the former Chief Minister in the 2023 Assembly polls, in Shiggaon.

Bharath Bommai and his father cast their vote at a polling booth in Shiggaon segment.

In Sandur, Bellary MP Tukaram's wife E Annapurna of Congress is contesting from the seat vacated by her husband, against, BJP ST Morcha president Bangaru Hanumanthu, who is considered close to party leader and former mining barron G Janardhan Reddy.

Annapurna, Tukaram and other family members cast their votes at a booth in the segment.

With Nikhil Kumaraswamy and Bharath Bommai contesting, the third generation of Gowda and Bommai families are in the fray in this by-poll. Both their fathers and grandfathers have served as Karnataka's Chief Ministers in the past.

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