Food Bank will be set up in Georgia. The Committee on Agrarian Issues is working with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization to develop an appropriate legislative framework. The changes will affect both the retail and the HORECA sector, which will be able to donate the food rather than write off.
According to the initiative, the retail and the HORECA sector can donate such goods which product term expires soon, but is less risky to use. The food bank will mainly cooperate with restaurants, hotels and supermarkets.
Nino Tsilosani, Chairperson of the Committee on Agrarian Issues explains that the role of the state in this process will be only to create a legislative framework and further monitor the processes so that the private sector does not use food donations for other purposes. According to her, participation in the system will be voluntary for the private sector, but it will be encouraged by the relevant tax regime.
"We have data for 2018, where the municipality spends about GEL 18 million on food donations, and in parallel, for example, the analysis of one of the supermarket show that about EUR 3 million food is wasted just because there is no flexible and appropriate legislation.
We are talking about minimal risk foods, which shelflife is approaching the deadline and should be used in a timely manner. Effectively managing this process will allow us to use the HORECA sector, as well as supermarket chains for donations," said Nino Tsilosani.
