We continue to introduce the authors of the best scientific research projects who achieved top placements in the competition held as part of the LIFE Waste to Resources IP.
In this competition, Antra Adiene secured second place. She is a third-year student at Riga Stradiņš University, pursuing a degree in the “International Relations - European Studies” program. Her choice of this field was driven by a keen interest in political processes in Europe, which is often crucial for understanding Latvia’s position and contribution to the European Union as a whole. Antra's approach to both university assignments and life is guided by her motto: "If you do something, do it excellently, as anything less is not worth the effort!" Her inner perfectionist compels her to approach tasks with utmost diligence. After earning her Bachelor's degree in July 2024, Antra plans to pursue a Master’s degree in Public Relations, focusing on political planning and coordination, which are vital for successful communication about political changes and activities across both governmental and non-governmental sectors to all involved parties and society at large. An informed and educated public is crucial for a country’s development, not only domestically but also on the international stage.
The topic of her research on reducing food waste in various European countries was inspired by her semester spent on an exchange program at Sciences Po Toulouse University in France. Since 2016, France has implemented a policy that prohibits supermarkets from discarding quality food. Although this was the author's first study on the subject, learning about France's approach to reducing food waste piqued Antra's interest in discovering what other European countries are doing. In her research, she chose to analyze four countries to highlight different approaches and identify the key prerequisites for change.
Considering the similarities in external conditions and common characteristics, studying regional best practices is a way to gather ideas for implementing initiatives and to anticipate potential pitfalls when adapting them to national policies. Antra hopes her research will serve as an inspiration to reduce food waste in Latvia and to make more extensive and effective use of existing initiatives, such as the approach used by the private preschool institution “CreaKids” in collaboration with children during meal times.
Antra Adiene's research paper, “Analysis of Food Waste Reduction Initiatives: Solutions in European Countries and Best Practices in Latvia,” is available here.
