KOTA KINABALU: With an estimated one-third of food produced globally going to waste, the government is stepping up efforts to rescue surplus food and channel it to those in need through an expanded Ihsan Food Bank (i-FB) initiative.
Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali (pic) said the i-FB, which began as a pilot project last December, forms part of a broader national effort to strengthen the Malaysia Food Bank Programme.
“We hope to see greater participation from both the public and private sectors as this initiative not only helps ease the cost of living burden but also raises awareness about food waste,” he said after launching the i-FB@KFC project here yesterday.
Armizan said the initiative aims to transform the way communities care for one another by reducing food wastage and encouraging “food rescue” efforts, where surplus food is safely repackaged and distributed to those in need.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation, about one-third of all food produced globally – or 1.3 billion metric tonnes – is wasted each year.
Under the latest collaboration, QSR Brands (M) Holdings Bhd has joined the programme through the launch of i-FB@KFC, with selected KFC outlets coordinating the collection and standardised packaging of surplus food to ensure it remains safe and hygienic for distribution.
Partner organisations involved in the initiative will identify recipients, with all packaged food required to reach target groups within three days of packaging.
For a start, 10 KFC outlets in Sabah will participate in the programme.
“We hope more organisations will come on board and help us achieve the objectives of this initiative,” Armizan said.
