Georgetown University: Researchers to Share Findings of Study on Food Waste in Qatar

After years of in-depth investigation into how and why food is wasted in Qatar, the Safeguarding Food and Environment in Qatar (SAFE-Q) project team will present their findings at a public event on March 19. The event, which will be held at 6:00 p.m. at Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q), will bring together researchers and industry experts to share their insight into the issue of food waste in the country.

SAFE-Q is a joint research project which aims to explore the causes of food waste in Qatar within a context of food security and environmental sustainability. It involves a team of researchers from GU-Q, Cranfield University and University of Bradford in the U.K., and the Western Sydney University in Australia.

The event will feature a presentation by Amir Sharif, associate dean of the University of Bradford, and will be followed by a panel discussion featuring Agrico owner Nasser Al Khalaf, Emel Aktas, the lead principal investigator of the SAFE-Q project, and Kim Wyatt, chief information officer of Wa’hab. The discussion will be moderated by Professor Mehran Kamrava, director of GU-Q’s premier research institute, the Center for International and Regional Studies (CIRS).

“This research has been part of a broader effort by CIRS over the last several years to study the management of natural resources in general and the topic of food security in particular,” explained CIRS Director Professor Mehran Kamrava. “With help from specialists from around the world, we now have a much clearer idea of the complex issues involved in food storage, food safety, and food security more broadly.”

The SAFE-Q researchers conducted a detailed analysis of the causes of food waste occurring during the handling, distribution, transportation, and storage of food, as well as during food preparation, cooking, and consumption. The project also aimed to develop recommendations on how to reduce and, if possible, eliminate the waste occurring during the distribution and consumption of food in Qatar.

“This event is the culmination of three years of extensive research into the causes of food waste in Qatar, from the supply chain to the store to the stove top,” said Emel Aktas, the lead principal investigator of the SAFE-Q project and senior lecturer at the Cranfield School of Management.

“We hope our findings will provide businesses, policy makers, and members of the public with greater insight into the problem as well as the information they need to take practical steps to limit food waste,” added Hafize Sahin, researcher at Georgetown University in Qatar. 

SAFE-Q research was made possible by a research grant (NPRP 7-1103-5-156) from the Qatar National Research Fund, a member of Qatar Foundation.