Thailand has unveiled a comprehensive strategy aimed at addressing food waste and hunger, partnering the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) with the Scholars of Sustenance Foundation (SOS) to establish a national food bank. Spearheaded by NSTDA’s vice president for strategy and budgeting, Nuanwan Sanguansak, a recent public hearing on July 7th gathered over 60 representatives from various sectors to discuss the management of excess food.
The initiative is crucial for combating food loss and its environmental consequences, emphasizing the need to manage surplus food effectively. Discussions centered on raising awareness about unsold but edible food items, as well as resolving logistical challenges in food distribution. Suggestions included the creation of storage facilities like warehouses or cold rooms to preserve food before redistribution, with calls for enhanced government cooperation to share data on vulnerable groups.
NSTDA policy researcher Patamaporn Prachumrat underscored the severity of food waste, citing a study revealing that one in three food products is discarded, contributing significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. NSTDA’s technology plays a pivotal role in optimizing surplus food management and streamlining donation processes. Prachumrat highlighted NECTEC’s digital platform, which connects food donations with those in need through SOS’s Cloud Food Bank system. Future plans include conducting a carbon footprint analysis on salvaged food, aiming to incentivize donors by demonstrating their impact on reducing emissions.
Central to the initiative is the collaboration with over 1,200 brands to sustain continuous donation efforts. Prachumrat stressed the importance of ensuring that donations are nutritious and of high quality, advocating for robust donation channels and diverse communication strategies to engage a wider audience. This pioneering effort, as reported by The Nation, promises to convert food waste into a critical resource, simultaneously addressing hunger and environmental concerns in Thailand.
Officials and stakeholders from public and private sectors alike lent their voices to shaping Thailand’s National Food Bank guidelines, reflecting a concerted effort towards sustainable development and social responsibility.
