REDONA Milestones related to UPV

REDONA stands out at the XVII Setmana de l’Economia d’Alzira as a benchmark in the fight against food waste

Outreach

On February 17, 2025, the REDONA project took part in the round table titled “The value of surplus: strategies against food waste”, held at the Casa de la Cultura in Alzira as part of the XVII Setmana de l’Economia, organized by IDEA Alzira. The event brought together experts from academia and the agri-food sector to discuss innovative solutions to reduce food waste. During the session, Francesc J. Cervera Ferrer, representing the Universitat Politècnica de València, presented REDONA as a pioneering technological tool that facilitates the recovery and redistribution of discarded fruits and vegetables at Mercavalència. His presentation addressed the causes of food waste in the fruit and vegetable market, the legal framework, the social and environmental benefits of the project, and the challenges and opportunities for its future expansion. The round table also featured contributions from M.ª Ángeles Fernández Zamudio (UPV) and Cirilo Arnandis (Cooperatives Agroalimentàries of the Valencian Community), and was moderated by journalist Lluch García Garay. The event highlighted the importance of initiatives like REDONA in building more sustainable and resilient food systems.

REDONA presents its project to AMAFRUVA with a view to future collaborations

Media Sustainable Development Goals València City Council

On January 29, 2025, a meeting took place at Mercavalència between representatives of the REDONA project and the Association of Fruit and Vegetable Wholesalers (AMAFRUVA), with the aim of presenting the initiative and exploring potential avenues for collaboration. During the meeting, the team from the Universitat Politècnica de València outlined the benefits of REDONA for market operators, its alignment with current legal frameworks, the functionality of the technological tool, and the implementation timeline, which includes a pilot project. The role AMAFRUVA could play in disseminating the project among its members was highlighted, along with its possible involvement in training activities and the upcoming public presentation event at Mercavalència. Both parties exchanged views on potential synergies between REDONA and other ongoing initiatives, especially in the field of circular economy. The session helped strengthen mutual understanding and laid the groundwork for potential future cooperation in addressing food waste in the wholesale sector.

| REDONA Recovery of fruits and vegetables in Mercavalència UPV

REDONA Project, to avoid food waste in Mercavalència, on the SER radio station.

Media

Norat Roig, Principal Researcher of the REDONA Project at the Universitat Politècnica de València has detailed what this initiative consists of, which basically aims to ensure that the food that arrives at Mercavalència from wholesalers does not also end up in the rubbish bin. ‘It is in the wholesaler-retailer transaction where this waste is produced that we want to act on because to date nothing has been done,’ he explained. Thus, when it is finally operational, these technologies will allow wholesalers’ surpluses to be used by NGOs and other organisations, which will be able to get hold of all this food so that it can reach vulnerable families in the city of Valencia. You can listen to the interview at: Hoy por Hoy Valencia 26/09/2024- Tramo de 12:20 a 13:00) | Cadena SER

REDONA strengthens its roadmap with València Innovation Capital and the City Council of València

València City Council

The REDONA project, funded under the València 2030 Climate Mission, held a key coordination meeting at the Universitat Politècnica de València with representatives from València Innovation Capital and the City Council of València. During the session, the technical and financial progress of the project was reviewed, outlining achievements and adjusting the strategy in light of various limiting factors. The next steps were also defined, including presentation events, training actions, pilot donations, and the scaling up of the system. REDONA thus continues to make solid progress toward a technological solution that is both efficient and socially just for the redistribution of food surplus in Mercavalència.

REDONA presents its technological tool to channel surplus food at Mercavalència

Outreach

As part of the REDONA project, an initiative funded under the València 2030 Climate Mission, a dissemination and awareness-raising session was held at the Universitat Politècnica de València to introduce this innovative tool. REDONA’s main goal is to recover discarded fruits and vegetables at Mercavalència for redistribution with social purposes, through a technological solution that enables efficient management of surplus food. During the event, which included participation from representatives of UPV and Naria, the platform’s functionality and its benefits in the fight against food waste — as well as in promoting social and environmental justice in urban food systems — were presented.

REDONA advances in the development of its app to channel surplus food from Mercavalència

Naria

The REDONA project, an initiative funded under the València 2030 Climate Mission, continues to make solid progress in the development of its technological application. In a recent coordination meeting between the Universitat Politècnica de València and Naria, the preliminary version of the digital tool was presented. This app will allow for the registration of food surplus donations, management of deliveries, and centralization of associated documentation. The technological solution aims to facilitate the recovery of discarded fruits and vegetables at Mercavalència, promote their redistribution for social purposes, and strengthen the resilience of urban food systems in the face of food waste.

REDONA on International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste

Outreach

As part of the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, the REDONA project held the conference ‘Innovative solutions to combat food waste in the Mercas: The case of REDONA in Mercavalència’ on 24 September at the Universitat Politècnica de València. The conference highlighted the importance of Mercavalència in the food supply of the city of Valencia, the problem of food waste, how REDONA can provide a solution to the food surplus not marketed by wholesalers to feed the most vulnerable population and the suitability of Casa Caridad for the project, as well as the importance of its social work.

Casa Caridad joins the REDONA project to promote more efficient and sustainable food management

The Valencian Charity Association, known as Casa Caridad, has decided to actively participate in the REDONA innovation project, which is subsidized under the framework of the Valencia 2030 Climate Mission. This collaboration aims to optimize the management of food donations and strengthen sustainability in the distribution of resources to people in vulnerable situations. In a meeting held on June 25, 2024, at the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV), representatives from Casa Caridad and the REDONA team discussed the project’s benefits and requirements. During the meeting, it was highlighted how the tool proposed by REDONA could improve the operational capacity of NGOs in managing donations, allowing for a more efficient and timely selection of the products received. Guadalupe Ferrer, managing director of Casa Caridad, expressed her interest in the initiative, noting that being able to choose the timing of product reception would facilitate distribution among the people they serve. Casa Caridad, founded in 1906, has been a key pillar in providing care to homeless individuals and those at risk of social exclusion in Valencia. The organization offers a wide range of services, including soup kitchens, shelters, nursery schools, and social integration programs. Participation in the REDONA project reinforces Casa Caridad’s commitment to innovation and sustainability, aligning with the goals of the Valencia 2030 Climate Mission. This collaboration will enable the organization to enhance resource management efficiency and continue providing essential support to the most vulnerable people in the Valencian Community.

Presentation of REDONA to the UPV students | REDONA Recovery of fruits and vegetables in Mercavalència UPV

Presentation of Redona to UPV students

Outreach

On March 7th, we were able to present the Redona project to the students of the Master of Agronomic Engineering of the Universitat Politècnica de València. In the session, we explained the objectives of Redona, the social, environmental and regulatory context in which it is involved, the obstacles to its implementation and the main results and benefits generated by the channeling of surplus food produced in Mercavalència. The participation of the students was especially active and they showed a high interest in the project, in the generation of food waste in the agri-food chain and in formulas to manage the food surplus that generate a reduction of food loss and the channeling to vulnerable families.

El proyecto Redona participó en el encuentro organizado por el CEMAS sobre la pérdida y el desperdicio alimentario

The Redona project took part in the meeting organised by CEMAS on food loss and waste

Media

It is easy to get lost in the numbers when we talk about food loss and waste. The social, environmental and economic impacts of this waste are so shocking that we find it difficult to put the magnitude of the problem into concrete numbers. At the meeting organised by CEMAS on food loss and waste (now available on the CEMAS YouTube channel) high-level speakers presented innovative and inspiring projects that deserve a separate mention.