Description
Slovenia is a good example of modern interdependence. Demand for food is increasing, recession intensifies, and agriculture suffers, while enormous amounts of food are still wasted at different stages of production and consumption. Effective communication and cooperation between all stakeholders is missing. We see only the tip of the iceberg. Project will establish network and strengthen cooperation among stakeholders by creation of national platform for Zero Food Waste Slovenia. Platform objectives are to strengthen nongovernmental organization for food waste prevention activities, to strengthen communication and transfer knowledge by creating a communication gadgets and tools for the prevention of food waste in the economy, public institutions and households and to improve connectivity, responsiveness and efficiency of stakeholders and the public for future preventive action in generation of food waste, and mobilizing the public. National platform is targeting primarily national and local non-governmental organizations, households, public institutions (kindergartens and schools) and their associations, and media.
Summary of project results
In 2013 it was calculated that quantities of food waste in Slovenia reached more than 170.000 tons per year. As only some smaller and local initiatives were in place, national campaign to support nongovernmental and governmental organizations, business and local communities was needed. "Volk sit, koza cela” project contained three main pillars – creation of information flow and tools for citizens and decision-makers, development and implementation a national wide campaign to reach the public, and creation of national platform against food waste. Based on experienced team of public action practitioners and campaigners the beneficiary (1) made huge web survey on food behaviour in Slovenia, covering attitudes from planning, buying, using and disposing the food with almost 1000 respondents, (2) created publicly available 15 tools for do it yourself action (from food waste diary to use of your refrigerator, self-assessment questionnaires for schools and farms), (3) made a field research on food waste practices in public schools and even one hospital, (4) implemented 6 workshops for local campaigners, journalists and local communities, (5) extensively used social networking with over 200 food waste news and publicly presenting the results of our surveys and reviews, (6) two national award campaigns for households and schools and many small activities (interviews, information sharing, lobbying, coaching for local activists,…). Key change is contained in several results of the project: public attitude regarding the food waste – campaign persistently achieved wider public through more than 180 mainstream media (TV, Radio, key newspapers) articles, shared further through social media; food waste set as one of three priority areas for prevention and minimisation measures in national programme on waste management; revival of working groups on governmental level to support local communities and business (on food surplus, on food waste data). However, even more important is the challenge – how to bring the business community to public pledge to minimize food waste and local communities to more composting. After the project completion several initiatives are well alive, for example international conference on circular economy was held in November 2015 and a national conference supporting the declaration on national platform for Slovenia without Food Waste.
Summary of bilateral results
SLOFood project partner was Ostfold Research (OStfoldforskning), an institute performing applied research and development, focusing, inter alia, on waste as well as minimising other environmental impacts. Partner contributed professional knowledge regarding waste statistics and reviewing, waste management models, packaging optimisation and environmental labelling. Being a reference institute regarding food waste in Europe, partner provided up to date information regarding the developments at EU level. Partnership also gave an insight into expert knowledge regarding methodology and experiences in shaping and implementing social innovation. That was particularly needed in preparatory phase when food waste situation assessment (survey), pilot reviews, establishment of the national platform and communication campaign were considered. Bilateral partnership was developed further by creation of an ad hoc consortium to apply to EU Horizon 2020 call in 2015, and several further ideas were identified in that process. In addition to the basic project idea Norwegian partner organized a special study trip to Oslo, to further strengthen knowledge exchange, to discuss possible further collaboration and to see examples of food waste management and minimisation practices in Norway. Participants met managers of a ForMat project and Matvett Ltd and discussed about the Norwegian work with food waste, participazed at the meeting on waste food prevention with professor Ole Jørgen Hanssen, attended the food waste master thesis event at NMBU, visited Nofima Food Research Institute with focus on research on packaging and food safety to prevent food waste. Participants also visited Ostfold Research, getting an in-depth understanding about the work with food waste statistics in Norway, and had a meeting with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, presenting the background and content of the negotiated agreement between the food industry and the Government. In the Slovenian group there were also a journalist and a representative of the ministry of environment, both working on waste issues. The Journalist covered the issues from the trip in her articles in the most read daily newspaper, and thus contributing to the visibility of the project theme.