(2 Nov 2020) LEAD-IN:
An NGO in Kosovo has been serving up what it calls ‘disco soup’ to people at an annual festival.
Volunteers have collected unwanted, so-called ‘ugly’ fruit and vegetables from a local farm and turned it into a delicious, healthy soup to raise awareness about food waste
STORY-LINE:
These fruit and vegetables would normally go to waste at this farm in Kosovo.
But volunteers are collecting the so-called ‘ugly’ produce to raise awareness about food waste in the fruit and vegetable sector.
Titled ‘Disco Soup,’ the Jeshil Foundation is hosting a community event in the capital of Pristina, offering free hot soup made from fruit and vegetables that would have gone to waste.
Their mission: to show people that even ‘ugly’ food can taste good.
“The reason why we organising this event is to save food that is about to go to waste, cook it together with the community and serve it to the community. So, we can start a public dialogue about food waste in general and how we can reduce it. This year, we are organising it around the topic ‘scary ugly food’. Since it is going to be on the same day as Halloween we wanted to show that just because fruit or a vegetables look a ‘bit ugly,’ so to call it, than the other fruits and vegetables. (It) doesn’t mean that it is not edible, that it cannot be sold, and cannot be consumed,” explains activist at the Jeshil Foundation, Getoar Krasniqi.
Farmer Arian Jezerci has a large farm near the city of Ferizaj, he explains how a lot of fruit and vegetables are thrown out because they are not accepted by shops and considered ‘ugly’.
“I have farm of about 2,000 square metres. And out of all the fruits and vegetables that I produce, around 1.5 tons is thrown away.”
The boxes of produce will be turned into a soup at this community event in Pristina.
The theme of the event is ‘scary, ugly food,’ and in keeping with Halloween festivities, carved pumpkins, cobwebs and ‘ugly’ vegetables decorate the room.
Bubbling like a cauldron, the red-coloured soup is nearly ready to be served.
“The idea of collecting food and not throwing it away and use it and reconcile, it is something good for Earth and for humans,” explains attendee Sara Habipaj.
Only a limited number of people were able to attend the event due to the coronavirus pandemic. Attendees’ temperatures were taken and people told to keep a safe distance.
Unless eating the soup, guests were required to wear a mask.
“The soup was perfect. The Bloody Mary without alcohol was perfect – spicy but great,” adds Habipaj.
The organisers aim to raise people’s awareness of food waste at home too.
According to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, 1.3 billion tonnes of food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted globally every year.
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