Founded in 2021, Banca de Alimente is the only nonprofit organisation in the Republic of Moldova whose mission is to prevent food waste and reduce food insecurity. Over the past 5 years, Banca de Alimente has built a national network consisting of 95 donor companies and 105 partner social services. During this period, the organisation has recovered and redistributed around 583 tons of food, equivalent to 1,166,000 meals, which have reached over 12,500 beneficiaries across the country. Thus, food that was at risk of being wasted has become a valuable resource for people in vulnerable situations. “In the Republic of Moldova, approximately one-third of the population—about 800,000 people—lives in absolute poverty, while significant amounts of food continue to be wasted. This contrast highlights the need for sustained actions to prevent food waste—with social, economic, and environmental benefits—as well as educational efforts to promote more responsible consumption. For 5 years, we’ve been preventing waste and feeding people. This is not just an anniversary slogan, but the mission that guides our work every day. For five years, we have been saving food fit for consumption and giving it a second chance by redirecting it to dozens of social services across the country and to the people who need it most.” – Oleg Paraschiv, director of the Banca de Alimente in Moldova.
Currently, Banca de Alimente’s network includes 105 partner social services across the country. Of these, approximately 40% are soup kitchens that provide daily hot meals to people in need. Another 25% are care facilities for children, the elderly, and people with disabilities; 25% are day centres offering various community support services; and 10% are other social services for vulnerable groups. Banca de Alimente has the logistical capacity and expertise necessary for the safe collection, storage, and distribution of all types of food. These foods are given a new lease on life once they reach social services across the country, where people in need receive hot meals. This model offers a concrete and effective solution through which surplus food is utilised for the benefit of the community. In addition to this initiative, Banca de Alimente supports advocacy efforts to improve the national legal framework for preventing food waste and promotes a culture of respect for food and social solidarity. In 2022, the Republic of Moldova adopted for the first time Law No. 299 of November 3 on the prevention of food loss and waste. Subsequently, the law was amended with several improvements and currently offers a range of incentives to operators in the agri-food sector who choose to donate food instead of discarding it. Starting in 2022, Banca de Alimente in Moldova has been an associate member of the European Federation of Food Banks, the largest European network in the field, which includes approximately 350 food banks and contributes to the development of modern and sustainable solutions to combat food waste.
