Jerusalem plans to expand food surplus rescue system
In Jerusalem, Israel, the Jerusalem Food Rescuers initiative collects and distributes edible food surpluses. The organization has operated at the wholesale market in the Givat Shaul neighborhood since 2019: its team selects fruit and vegetables that do not meet commercial standards because of their appearance or degree of ripeness, then transfers them to collection points in different parts of the city.
As The Jerusalem Post reports, the products are distributed, among other ways, through community centers. There, Jerusalem residents can receive them free of charge or at an affordable price. The initiative's team consists mainly of volunteers.
Urban food forum
Daniella Seltzer, who is involved in the work of Jerusalem Food Rescuers, is initiating the creation of the Jerusalem Urban Food Forum. It is intended to become a city mechanism for coordinating the work of businesses, civic organizations, researchers and the municipality to use food resources more efficiently.
The plan identifies about 2,200 Jerusalem businesses that could be involved in food rescue. These include restaurants, cafes, supermarkets, grocery and vegetable stores, bakeries, food producers, catering companies and institutional kitchens.
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According to Seltzer's estimate, an established city mechanism could collect and distribute about 7,000 tonnes of food annually. For it to operate, she said, city coordination, business participation, logistics, digital tools and communities' capacity to distribute products are needed.
Pact and food losses
In June, Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion signed the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact. As a result, Jerusalem joined a network of more than 300 cities working toward more efficient food systems and access to healthy food.
Seltzer said annual food losses in Jerusalem may exceed 200,000 tonnes, with their economic value approaching 1.8 billion shekels. According to the article, about 40% of the city's residents live below the poverty line. Since it began operating, Jerusalem Food Rescuers has rescued 1,300 tonnes of food, provided regular access to products for approximately the same number of local families, and educated nearly 10,000 schoolchildren about food sustainability.
Hadar Lavi, director of the Jerusalem Municipality's Department of Social Sustainability, said the forum should help shape the city's food policy, reduce food waste, strengthen food security and promote healthy eating.
