The Cabildo of Lanzarote has achieved the approval of the European project MAC CIRFOOD 360, a strategic initiative that will place Lanzarote at the forefront of the food circular economy in Atlantic island territories.
The project consists of the development of an island circular system for the reduction, safe donation, and valorization of food surpluses in Lanzarote and Sal (Cape Verde).
The proposal has been selected within the framework of the third call for the INTERREG MAC Programme 2021-2027, one of the most competitive in recent years, in which only 26 projects out of the 118 submitted by entities from the Canary Islands, Madeira, Azores, and West Africa were approved.
The project has a total investment of 916,768.34 euros, of which 85% will be co-financed by ERDF funds from the European Union, reaching a maximum contribution of 779,253.09 euros for the entire consortium.
MAC CIRFOOD 360 addresses one of the main challenges of island tourist territories: the generation of food surpluses derived from hotel, commercial, and catering activities. To this end, it will develop an integral model based on the prevention of waste at source, the safe redistribution of food fit for consumption, and the valorization of organic waste through circular economy solutions.
The system will also incorporate a digital traceability platform that will allow real-time monitoring of food flow, ensure food safety, and optimize coordination between public administrations, companies, and social entities.
As the leading partner, the Cabildo of Lanzarote will assume the administrative, financial, and strategic coordination of the project, ensuring its correct execution and justification before European institutions. The consortium will also include the Fundación Canaria Martínez Abolafio, responsible for technical and operational coordination in Lanzarote, and the Chamber of Commerce of Barlavento (Sal Island, Cape Verde), which will implement the model in African territory.
The president of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, Oswaldo Betancort, highlighted that “this approval represents a European recognition of Lanzarote's capacity to lead innovative projects with real impact on people, the environment, and the island's economy. It allows us to turn a problem, such as food waste, into an opportunity to generate social cohesion, sustainability, and international cooperation”.
Reduction of up to 690 tons of food waste
The initiative includes the development of pilot experiences in Lanzarote and Sal for an execution period of 27 months, including diagnostic actions, technological development, operational implementation, training, and the creation of a replication guide for other territories within the MAC space.
Among the expected results are the reduction of up to 690 tons of food waste, the redistribution of food to vulnerable groups, the reduction of emissions associated with waste, and the active participation of social entities, hotel establishments, supermarkets, and companies linked to the food sector.
The project will also strengthen cooperation relations between the Canary Islands and West Africa, promoting replicable solutions for other island territories that share similar challenges in terms of sustainability and resource management.
For the Cabildo of Lanzarote, the approval of MAC CIRFOOD 360 constitutes a strategic milestone that consolidates the island's leadership in attracting European funds and in the development of transformative projects with direct impact on citizens.
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