Milan’s pioneering Food Waste Hubs

The Municipality of Milan developed a detailed food policy to coordinate its local agrifood systems, spurred by the EXPO held in 2015 in the city. The municipality decided to open a dedicated office to oversee food policy and to include food waste management within the office. The office works with the collection of surplus food from schools and wholesale markets and connects them to food waste hubs, which were also developed. Milan has also involved universities in the agrifood systems management as they monitor the food waste hub impact and results; non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and charities redistribute food to people in need, thus generating social and environmental benefits, while private sector entities provide the other services. The City of Milan promotes the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact (MUFPP), a pact among over 200 cities worldwide, committed to implementing better urban food policies. About 30 cities in the Mediterranean area have taken concrete action through initiatives on food supply and distribution, governance, and social inclusion.

FAO, CIHEAM, PRIMA Foundation and UfM. 2023. Sustainable agrifood systems in the Mediterranean – Levers for transformation. Rome, FAO. https://doi.org/10.4060/cc8220en

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