Slow Food Youth Network Uganda joined the international Slow Food Youth Network on Saturday 27th April to celebrate International World Disco Soup Day under the theme ‘Save Our Food, Save Our Planet’. This year`s World Disco Soup Day focused on food policies, emphasizing how they influence our approach to food waste and its management.

The event held at Lugazi Central Market in Lugazi Municipality, Buikwe district, kicked off to an inspiring start with passionate youth members engaging market vendors on the importance of minimizing food waste and discussing the current practices and their influence on our approach to food waste. The youths proceeded with collecting discarded food items from the market including local vegetables, local fruits, and many others.

The event was an opportunity for meaningful dialogue and actions with leaders and vendors operating in Lugazi Central Market on how food waste can be reduced in the market. To effect this, the youth network members took action and collected discarded vegetables from the Market, intending to prepare and serve them to the community. This initiative aims not only to reduce food waste but also to nourish the community and showcase the value of every local ingredient.

The event attracted over 100 people including market vendors, political leaders, citizens and young children around Lugazi municipality who appreciated the importance of fighting food waste through creating awareness to the people. The event was boosted by the appearance of the Buikwe Senior Agriculture Officer Maurice Kyambadde who toured the stalls and on seeing the recipes being prepared, he was excited about the fact that the youths are championing the fight against food waste saying that it’s not just about rescuing food from the trash but also about addressing the root causes of waste and advocating for systemic change.

From our discussions and interviews with the vendors and leaders in Lugazi Central Market, they anonymously agreed that there is a need to strengthen the food waste policies in the lower local government and have at least a black market day for them to sell off their food items which are about to go bad at a cheaper price or even give them out for free to those who need them.

As the day came to a close, all the people were invited to enjoy a meal made from ingredients that might have otherwise been wasted. It was a powerful reminder of the impact that collective action can have in the fight against food waste and this excited many who tasted the meal praising the art and the problem used in turning the food they thought was about to go bad into a delicious soup.

It is important to note that food waste isn’t just an environmental issue, it’s also a social and economic problem. Wasting food means wasting resources and money, while many people around the world still go hungry. By redistributing surplus food and educating communities about the importance of reducing waste, we are addressing these complex issues from multiple angles. Food waste continues to be a pressing issue, both locally and globally. That’s why Slow Food Youth Network Uganda is calling on everyone to join them in the fight against food waste. Whether it’s through raising awareness, advocating for policy change, or simply being mindful of our consumption habits, every action counts.