767,123 meals are destroyed daily or 280 million per year.
More than 60 public kitchens operate in Bosnia and Herzegovina. They feed 16,800 people, while many receive daily rations or monthly aid packages to survive.
A public kitchen for babies is also open in Bratunac, and there is a kitchen for children with disabilities in Lukavac, “Avaz” reports.
In addition, requests for opening new kitchens are constantly arriving, namely in Goražde, Višegrad, Široki Brijeg and other places. The number of users of public kitchens is growing every day, and statistics show that every fifth person in Bosnia and Herzegovina lives below the poverty line.
NO ONE HUNGRY
At the same time, according to United Nations data, almost 400,000 tons of food are destroyed in Bosnia and Herzegovina annually. Companies involved in the sale and distribution of food destroy a third of that food, 140,000 tons, while the remaining two-thirds is waste from households.
According to calculations, 767,123 meals or 280 million per year are destroyed every day in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which could be donated.
These shocking data were the trigger for the “Mozaik” Foundation to start the campaign “No one hungry. I am nobody”.
Thanks to the campaign, the Law on Value Added Tax was amended, and after that, amendments to the Rulebook on the Application of the VAT Law were adopted, which exempted food donations before the expiration date from paying VAT.
After a year of implementation, it turned out that companies use this privilege, but not enough yet.
With the aim of improving the implementation of this important change, the “Mozaik” Foundation has created a digital food bank, which it calls the online register for donating food – Nikogladan.ba.
BOOK A DONATION
“This platform connects donor companies with associations and public kitchens throughout BiH. Now, companies can easily inform soup kitchens about donations, whether it’s expired food that’s safe to use or regular supplies, through the registry. Public kitchens can then reserve the offered donation or part of it with one click and download it. Everything takes place online, quickly and transparently, which further increases trust in the process and facilitates logistics,” Adnana M. Čamdžić, director of systemic philanthropy at the “Mozaik” Foundation, told “Avaz”.
She added that it is now up to all of us to spread this positive story and encourage as many companies as possible to sign up for the Nikogladan.ba digital food bank.
“In this way, we can reduce the destruction of food together, support those who need help the most, and strengthen socially responsible business through a concrete contribution to ESG goals ,” pointed out Čamdžić.
RESPONSIBLE RELATIONSHIP
By amending the Value Added Tax Act and by adopting amendments to the Rulebook on the Application of the VAT Act, a legal framework has been established that allows safe food to reach those who need it most.
In this way, companies simultaneously save resources (electricity, water, etc.) invested in food production and reduce the amount of waste and methane emissions in landfills, which directly contributes to their ESG goals (environment, society and governance).
By donating food, companies show a responsible attitude towards society and resources.
Source: akta.ba
