On 23 November, DCZ expert Ahmatjan Rouzi attended the “Save Food (China) Forum 2023” and the awarding ceremony for the “Save Food Design Award & Sustainability Design Award China” in Shanghai. DCZ expert Rouzi participated at the invitation of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations Representation in China and Messe Düsseldorf Group, (Shanghai). The event was part of the 2023 Shanghai World of Packaging (SWOP) Exhibition.
Marius Berlemann, General Manager of Messe Düsseldorf (Shanghai) and ZHANG Zhongjun, Assistant FAO Representative in China, kickstarted the event with welcome speeches. ZHAO Xiaolei, Head of UNIDO ITPO Shanghai, and Thomas Dohse，Director Interpack at Messe Düsseldorf, also offered congratulatory remarks and presented the Save Food Design Award & Sustainability Design Award China to the deserving contestants.
In the panel discussion on packaging for reducing food loss and waste, the experts deliberated on the role of packaging innovations to reduce food loss and waste. Astrid Hoffmann-Leist, Chief Innovation & Communication Officer and Business Director APAC from UNITED CAPS, showcased how her company’s high-performance plastic caps and closures for beverage products contribute to waste reduction.
DCZ expert Ahmatjan Rouzi was a featured speaker in the panel discussion entitled “Transforming agri-food systems by reducing food loss and waste”, where he introduced the DCZ’s recent work on food loss and waste. While citing from his work on block chain application in Chinese agriculture, he emphasized how block chain-enabled food tracing could assist producers, logistical operators, retailers, and consumers to reduce food waste and loss by digitally monitoring the whole supply chain.
ZHAO Haijun from the World Resources Institute introduced the Food and Land Use Coalition China platform’s initiatives on food waste and loss. BI Jieying from the Center for International Agricultural Research at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) also emphasized the role of science and technology in food loss and waste reduction. LIU Bing from China Agricultural University stressed how changes in consumer behavior could lead to big gains in food loss and waste reduction. Following the event, Dr. Rouzi also accepted a brief interview by CGTN, sharing insights on food waste and loss.
