UK government pledges £15M to combat food wastage

Surplus edible food to be redistributed to those in need. Government funding will support charities with resources for this redistribution.

UK Flag | Representational image | Commons

New Delhi: The UK government has announced a £15 million fund to help charities get surplus food from farms to those in need. The move comes as an estimated 330,000 tonnes of edible food is wasted or fed to animals each year before leaving farms, a government release stated.

The funding will be available to not-for-profit food redistribution organisations in England in grants starting from £20,000. The aim is to help strengthen links between farms and charities, tackle the problem of farm food waste and get food to those who need it, especially during the festive season, the release added as it noted that “Farmers would like to distribute this food to people, but charities often can’t collect and deliver it.”

“With families gathering to celebrate Christmas and the New Year, it’s important to remember those in our communities who may be going hungry this festive period,” said Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh. “Nobody wants to see good food go to waste—especially farmers who work hard to put food on family tables across the country.”

The funding could enable charities to buy equipment such as balers or hoppers to collect and process bulky food items, and technology to improve collaboration with donors. Training for staff on IT and food safety skills could also be funded.