Argentina – How a project restores dignity and saves food at the same time
The central market in Buenos Aires is one of the largest in South America. A third of Argentina’s fresh produce comes here before being distributed to stores and restaurants across the country. Anything considered unsellable is thrown away – even if it is still edible. Argentina’s economy has been in crisis for years. Unemployment is widespread and inflation has pushed up prices. Many people have no choice but to look for food in the garbage. Poverty has risen sharply under President Javier Milei. After taking office at the end of 2023, he cut subsidies and price capping for many basic goods and services. Pensioners are among those most affected.
The program against food waste
The Waste Recovery Program was launched by a group of central market employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. They wanted to do something about food waste – and also address a growing social need. Fabián Reinoldi is an agronomist who used to work in the market’s administration. Today he manages the program. Tomasa Chavez has worked for the program for four years. She is relieved and happy to have paid employment, and to no longer have to search for food in the waste bins, as she did for 35 years. Every day, the program diverts around 2.5 tons of edible products from being disposed of. The team sorts them into bags, which are then distributed to those who need them. The program also supplies more than 300 community kitchens.
Integrated waste management
Voluntary donations from market vendors are carefully sorted to make sure only what is still edible gets passed on. Any organic waste that is not good enough for human consumption is turned into compost. The program is financed by the central market. It’s not just charitable – waste prevention also saves the market money because it has to pay less for waste collection. Not everything can be rescued – only around 45 percent of the produce is suitable for eating. But the program has got the ball rolling – other communities have adopted similar schemes and experts from Germany have visited the team to find out more. In Argentina the program has become a symbol of hope in difficult times.
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