ne'ma Extends 'Valuing Our Roots' Campaign in Ramadan

ne'ma, the UAE’s National Food Loss and Waste Initiative, has announced the extension of its 2025 Ramadan campaign, "Valuing Our Roots."

The initiative aims to encourage responsible consumption, sustainability, and community-driven action throughout the Holy Month of Ramadan.

The campaign calls on individuals, families, and businesses to make intentional choices in shopping, cooking, and preparing for large gatherings, reflecting the values of gratitude and balance. Its core objective is to reduce food waste, aligning with the UAE’s goal of cutting food loss and waste by 50% by 2030.

A key initiative within the campaign is ne'ma’s sponsorship of the "One Million Surplus Meals" project. This large-scale effort works in collaboration with the UAE Food Bank and Reloop, alongside hotels, restaurants, and catering services, to recover and redistribute surplus food. The program also involves food waste recycling, with inedible waste composted to support a circular economy.

The initiative will see over 75 hotels across Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Ras Al Khaimah participating, with data collection to track its impact on food waste reduction. ne'ma is also scaling up its Community Smart Fridges program, in partnership with the HORECA sector and tech startups, to redistribute surplus food in high-demand areas.

In addition, the ne'ma Family Iftar Box program, in collaboration with Takatof, will ensure rescued surplus food reaches families in need across various regions.

Khuloud Hassan Al Nuwais, Chief Sustainability Officer of the Emirates Foundation, emphasized the collective responsibility during Ramadan, stating,

"Through mindful choices and collective action, we can move closer to becoming a nation where no food is wasted."

The campaign builds on the success of last year’s "Count Your Blessings" initiative and aims to create lasting behavioral change in food sustainability.

News Source: Emirates News Agency