The team of the LIFE Foodprint project, of the partner K.Parpounas Sustainability Consultants Ltd, attended a meeting with the NGO “Boroume”  in Athens, in Zografou area, on March 1, 2023. “Boroume” (boroume.gr) is a non-profit organization with the aim of limiting food waste and combating malnutrition in Greece. As part of their “Food Rescue & Donation” program, food and foodstuffs are saved from all possible donors and offered, through charitable organizations, to people who face food insecurity. Through these actions, they manage to reduce the environmental footprint of food waste and at the same time support the most sensitive social groups.

The meeting included a discussion and presentation of the actions and results of “Boroume” and the LIFE Foodprint project which lasted about 3 hours. The team of “Boroume” described how the actions are carried out but also how they deal with various problems such as that of food safety and how they create a good and constructive relationship with the various food donors such as traders and producers of food in the farmers’ markets.

The actions of “Boroume” are diverse and include educational programs in schools, food rescue programs from farmers’ markets, supermarkets, surplus agricultural production and other. In addition to food collection activities, “Boroume” has created a constructive network of stakeholders in the food sector in Greece through which consultations and information are discussed on legislative and other issues related to the sector and food waste. “Boroume” is also a member of the EU Platform on Food Losses and Waste where they express opinions on food waste issues.

After the meeting, the LIFE Foodprint team accompanied by a member of “Boroume” attended the action “No portion of food wasted” in the open-air farmers’ market on Patmos Street, in the area of Koliatsou Square. There they met with the team of the NGO “Medical Intervention”, an organization that received the donated food. The 3 groups wearing the vest with the sign “No portion of food wasted” which is recognized by the sellers of the farmers’ market, received the donated redundant quantities of fruits and vegetables during the closing of the market. In total, 102 kilograms of fruits and vegetables were collected, which corresponds to approximately 408 portions of food.

We would like to thank the “Borume” team for their hospitality, the interesting discussions and the exchange of knowledge.