Amman – Representing the Minister of Agriculture and Vice President of the Higher Council for Food Security, Dr. Saeb Khreisat, the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Agriculture, Eng. Mohammad Al-Hayari, and the Director-General of the Department of Statistics, Dr. Haidar Freihat, in the presence of the WFP Resident Representative and Country Director in Jordan, Antonella D’Aprile, launched the results of three national studies measuring food waste in Jordan. These studies provide, for the first time, precise national data across key sectors, including households, restaurants, hotels, and hospitals.
اضافة اعلان
Eng. Al-Hayari emphasized that the study marks a milestone in Jordan’s journey to strengthen its food security. For the first time, Jordan possesses accurate national figures on food waste, enabling policymakers to shift from estimates and impressions to data-driven planning. These results are expected to guide more effective policies and direct investments toward practical solutions to reduce food loss and its economic and environmental impacts.
Dr. Freihat highlighted that households account for the largest share of food waste, with the annual per capita waste estimated at 81.3 kilograms across the governorates. The study identified Zarqa as having the highest per capita food waste and Ajloun the lowest. The main causes were linked to consumption patterns, shopping habits, and poor food management at home, indicating the need for further specialized national studies to examine purchasing and consumption behaviors in more detail.
Antonella D’Aprile noted that releasing the first official food waste figures in Jordan is a significant achievement that will guide evidence-based policymaking and raise public awareness. WFP’s technical support contributed to implementing Jordan’s National Food Security Strategy 2021-2030 and helped bridge the information gap to enable more effective interventions.
Restaurants: A separate study of 896 restaurants across the country found that food waste reached 12,291 tons. Contrary to popular belief, most waste occurred during preparation and cooking, rather than at the serving stage. The main causes were poor planning, procurement mismanagement, lack of recycling options, and staff and customer behavior. Geographically, Amman, Irbid, and Zarqa were the highest in food waste, reflecting the concentration of restaurants in these governorates.
Hotels: Food waste in hotels totaled 3,739 tons in 2024, with vegetables (29%), wheat and related products (13.2%), and rice (13.1%) accounting for the largest shares. Waste was highest at the serving stage (44.4%), followed by preparation (37.3%) and pre-preparation (18.3%). The main causes were primarily staff behavior, followed by lack of recycling options, and to a lesser extent, guest behavior.
Hospitals: A study of four hospitals in both the public and private sectors indicated total annual food waste of about 1,302 tons, with the public sector accounting for 81% due to higher occupancy rates. The findings point to the need for improved meal planning, portion control, and digital pre-order systems to reduce waste and enhance resource efficiency.
Dr. Freihat confirmed that these figures will be integrated into the national statistical system to serve as an official reference for policymakers and researchers, and that the Department is committed to developing monitoring tools to support more accurate and effective national programs.
Eng. Al-Hayari concluded by praising the effective partnership with WFP and its technical support, which enabled the study to meet international standards. He stressed that WFP’s assistance extends beyond the study itself, supporting Jordan’s efforts to strengthen food security and transition toward more sustainable, resilient food systems capable of facing increasing regional and global challenges.
