Aim

This program aims to foster localized food systems that provide healthy, sustainable, and affordable food to communities. It also engages young people, giving them a platform to share their ideas, influence food-related decisions, and explore opportunities within the development of inclusive and climate-resilient urban food systems.

Where

Bandung and West Manggarai, Indonesia

Why

Food waste is a significant problem in Indonesia and food waste making up the biggest fraction of the whole waste generated, which is 41.5% (MoEF, 2023). According to the BAPPENAS FLW Study, Indonesia produces 115-184kg/capita/year of food loss and waste, with the biggest proportion coming from the consumption stage (Bappenas, 2021). If not properly addressed, the consequences of food loss and waste reverberate across sectors. 

Why Bandung

Bandung, Indonesia's third-largest city in terms of economic activity, is the second-largest waste producer, generating approximately 1,594 tonnes of waste daily, with a substantial 44.5% categorized as discarded food (Humas Kota Bandung, 2022). 

Bandung generates a significant amount of food waste, with the majority coming from Hotel, Restaurant, and Cafe (HORECA) services (Humas Kota Bandung, 2024). On the other hand, Bandung has a large and dynamic youth population. According to the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) Bandung, youth make up approximately 21% of the city's total population (BPS Bandung, 2024). This demographic is highly active in the city's thriving creative industries, including culinary and hospitality sectors, where food waste is a pressing issue. Mobilizing Bandung's youth can leverage their innovative potential to address food waste in households and HORECA services. With their involvement, more sustainable practices can emerge, promoting behaviour change and technological solutions for waste reduction. Our research identifies several gaps requiring further analysis, including the amount of edible food that can be recovered, the concrete mechanisms for distributing the recovered food, and the incentives for HORECA to participate in these efforts. 

At household level, we need to identify models that can incentivize changes in behaviour to reduce food waste. Engaging young households also is important at this level, as they are more likely to adopt and promote sustainable practices, resulting in long-term positive impacts on food waste management.

Furthermore, to support the government program aimed at reducing household food waste, the management of maggot houses needs to be optimized for both business management and operational systems. This includes establishing an effective scheme to engage and ensure community participation, particularly among local youth. Additionally, integrating HORECA, a major of surplus food with sustainable system establishments and using a surplus food app presents an innovative solution to combat food waste.

Why West Manggarai

Very limited data of food loss and food waste (FLW) is currently available in West Manggarai (MoEF, 2022), highlighting the need for sufficient FLW data, by assessing and identifying existing FLW conditions in the region. Additionally, West Manggarai has been chosen as one of Indonesia’s five highly prioritized tourist destinations, indicating that hospitality industries and food businesses will immensely grow soon. Therefore, to support the government agenda, we aim to identify the key methodologies and strategies to comprehensively assess and collect data mainly on food waste sources, quantities, hotspots, and current treatment practices in West Manggarai, and how can this data be effectively utilized to develop targeted policies and interventions for reducing food waste in this area. On the other hand, West Manggarai has a youthful population, with 30% of residents aged under 30 (BPS West Manggarai, 2023). As this region is a growing tourism hub, which will likely see increased food waste as the hospitality and food industries expand, engaging local youth in West Manggarai is critical to collecting data, raising awareness, and implementing targeted interventions. Their involvement can ensure sustainable practices are embedded in the region's development while empowering them to take leadership roles in managing waste. 
 

How

In Bandung, we conduct several activities, including research to identify effective incentives for reducing food waste generation by examining the Knowledge Attitude Practice (KAP) for Horeca establishments and develop potential incentives model for behavior changes for Horeca and households with community-based maggot house facilities.  

In West Manggarai, we will conduct research and assessment to determine the current condition of food loss and waste by identifying major contributors, including key participants in both the hospitality, retail, and household sectors.  

For both cities, we aim to use our research findings as foundational evidence for city-level policy transformation. Additionally, we will work to amplify shared commitments and secure a declaration for establishing these cities as Food Waste Minimization Model City (Kota Percontohan Minim Sampah Makanan).

In relation to these various activities in both cities, we will engage young people and involve them in meaningful ways, such as acting as respondents, encouraging their active participation during focus group discussions, and serving as enumerators to raise their awareness on food waste reduction and support data collection with technical support provided to enhance their knowledge and skills in data collection.

By prioritizing youth involvement in both Bandung and West Manggarai, this project can harness the energy, creativity, and commitment of young people to build a future where food waste is minimized, and sustainability is at the forefront. 

 

Partners