A group of Omani women has launched an initiative to tackle food waste in Oman through the “Zeelah Project.” This project aims to recycle leftover food from households and businesses, converting it into fertilizer to support environmental sustainability. The project, developed by seven women from National Finance, won the Best Project Award at Ooredoo’s Springboard competition.
Alia Al Balushi, the leader of the Zeelah Project, explained that the project’s name, “Zeelah,” comes from Omani culture and refers to a bin traditionally used to store food scraps for animals. The project focuses on reducing food waste and promoting sustainable practices. The team plans to use solar-powered bins that will initially be distributed in Muscat to collect food waste from households and businesses. Although commercial production has not yet begun, the project is prepared for expansion if it succeeds in Muscat.
The Zeelah team sees Ramadan as an important time for the project due to the large amounts of food waste generated during the month. In addition, the team is developing a mobile app that will allow individual households to collaborate with the Zeelah Project, further promoting awareness and participation.
The Zeelah Project aligns with Oman’s national objectives of promoting environmental sustainability and reducing waste. The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Water Resources (MoAFWR) has been actively supporting initiatives that address food waste and food security. The Ministry also launched the Oman Food Bank to collect excess food from various sources and distribute it to families in need, reducing waste while helping to combat food insecurity.
The initiative by Zeelah team aims to create a “reduce, reuse, recycle” culture to help protect the environment and create sustainable practices for food waste management.
