A number of food waste-reduction projects have received funding through the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), under the Rural Innovation and Development Fund.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConologue, has announced that €180,000 will be allocated to help reduce the waste that is generated by businesses, retailers and wholesalers, or suppliers in rural areas.

Four projects have been awarded funding:

Minister McConologue said these projects contribute to Ireland's commitment to reduce the amount of food we waste in accordance with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), including SDG 12.3 which calls on all nations to halve such waste and reduce food loss by 2030.

"These initiatives will further enhance the work previously funded to identify, target and address what is a rapidly growing issue not just here in Ireland but globally. Ireland generates over one million tonnes of food waste each year.

"It is now more important than ever to continue to develop initiatives to help to address this issue," said the minister.