A high-level ministerial panel on reducing food waste and conserving water began Friday in Istanbul, continuing the Zero Waste Forum’s mission to promote sustainable resource management globally.
Hosted under the auspices of first lady Emine Erdoğan, the honorary president of the Zero Waste Foundation, the meeting gathers ministers, international organizations and sector leaders to confront what participants describe as a growing global contradiction, while nearly 800 million people struggle with hunger, more than a billion tons of food are thrown away each year.
In her keynote address, Erdoğan drew attention to this stark imbalance, stating, “We live in a world where more than 700 million people are in need of a single bite of bread, and 190 million children’s vision is clouded by hunger.”
She underscored the urgency by highlighting that “While in one part of the world there is barely enough space on the table for food, in Sudan, Yemen, Gaza and many other regions, millions of children cannot access the most basic nutrition necessary for healthy growth.”
She pointed to the devastating human cost, noting, “Nearly half of all deaths among children under five are caused by hunger,” describing this as “a deeply painful reality that shatters our conscience.”
Erdoğan emphasized that food waste is a systemic problem affecting every stage of the supply chain. “Food thrown away before its shelf life ends, agricultural products discarded for not meeting aesthetic criteria, and waste generated by restaurants and hotels all demonstrate that food waste is now a systemic issue,” she said. According to the Food Waste Index Report, “60% of this waste occurs in households.”
Erdoğan further stressed that wasting food means squandering valuable resources: “Not only food but with every wasted bite, we also waste water, energy, and human labor.” She revealed that, “ 25% of our clean water resources are used to produce food that is thrown away without being eaten.” The scale of the problem is vast, with “land greater than the size of China” dedicated to producing food that ends up as waste.
She also stated, “This shows that change must start first in our homes, at our tables, and in our habits.” She illustrated the impact of small actions, saying, “When we don’t throw away a slice of bread, we save forty liters of water; when we prevent an egg from spoiling, we save 196 liters; and when we do not let an apple rot in the refrigerator, we save 820 liters.”
The first lady also highlighted the environmental benefits of organic waste management: “When we compost our organic waste, we will significantly reduce the amount of trash, decrease the costs of waste transportation and processing, and contribute to reducing carbon emissions.”
Erdoğan noted that “drinkable freshwater makes up only 1% of Earth's total water resources.” She warned that “currently, around 4 billion people face at least 1 month of water scarcity annually, and it is projected that within the next century, our water resources could decrease by up to 25%.” She concluded, “Thus, the issue of food and water has become an existential matter for humanity.”
Erdoğan emphasized the cultural and spiritual dimensions of food, explaining that “in all faiths and civilizations, food is considered a divine blessing.” She expressed concern over media trends, “Recently, we have seen an increase in advertisements and digital content that encourage and even legitimize food waste.”
She detailed Türkiye’s leadership in sustainability, referencing national campaigns and initiatives. “With our traditional Turkish cuisine research, we highlighted the low-waste and natural character of our cuisine, which is beloved worldwide. Through Turkish Cuisine Week events, we demonstrated how easily these practices can be adopted in daily life.”
Looking forward to next year’s COP31, which Türkiye will host, Erdoğan expressed optimism about international cooperation. “I hope that the COP31 summit, which will bring together representatives from 196 countries, will become a symbol of humanity’s greatest solidarity.”
Ibrahim Yumaklı, minister of agriculture and forestry, emphasized the critical importance of tackling food waste and water conservation, stating: “Reducing food waste and conserving water is not merely an insistence against waste; it is a vital commitment to safeguarding humanity.”
He highlighted Türkiye’s longstanding leadership: “Since 2008, our campaign to prevent bread waste has underscored that food waste is an economic, social, and environmental problem.” He added that during Türkiye’s 2015 G-20 presidency, the issue of food loss and waste was elevated internationally, leading to the FAO’s technical platform for measurement and reduction in Rome.
On water scarcity, Yumaklı noted: “We are a country under water stress. Every kilogram of wasted food wastes liters of water invested in its production, deepening the global water crisis.”
He stressed a comprehensive approach: “The zero water loss principle is not just a campaign; it is a mentality shift affecting production, industry, agriculture, and individual use.”
Samed Ağırbaş, president of the Zero Waste Foundation, emphasized Türkiye’s leadership role in advancing global zero waste initiatives, highlighting a historic 2022 U.N. resolution establishing Oct. 30 as Zero Waste Day, championed by Türkiye. He underlined the foundation’s global reach, with active zero waste coordination across 193 countries under the U.N. Zero Waste Advisory Board, chaired by first lady Emine Erdoğan.
Ağırbaş recalled the recent event in Istanbul, the Zero Waste Forum, which brought together representatives from 108 countries and over 1,570 international guests, marking the largest zero waste gathering since the U.N. Climate Summit. He reiterated the foundation’s unwavering commitment to building a fairer, more prosperous world through relentless efforts driven by visionary leadership.
On Türkiye’s role in climate diplomacy, he reflected, “At COP30 in Brazil, discussions spanned forests, zero waste, climate change, and energy crises, where we engaged closely with the Ministry of Environment.” Looking ahead, Ağırbaş announced, “Our dream has been to bring COP31 to Türkiye, and next year it will be hosted here, a turning point for zero waste worldwide. I promise this today.”
