SDG2 ZERO HUNGER

SDG2: Zero Hunger

Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2, "Zero Hunger," is a global aspiration that aims to eradicate hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture. Gulf University for Science and Technology recognizes that a healthy campus begins with ensuring that every member of its community has access to nutritious, affordable food options. While Kuwait is not a food-insecure country, GUST still takes proactive steps to promote student well-being, prevent hunger on campus, and encourage healthier and more sustainable food choices. Through awareness activities, targeted support services, and partnerships with campus vendors, the University aligns its efforts with SDG 2 by fostering a supportive, inclusive, and health-conscious environment.

On-Campus Initiatives

Shared Kitchen Facilities:

GUST helps ensure that no member of its community faces hunger by providing open kitchen areas across every floor and hallway of the campus. These shared spaces are stocked with basic pantry essentials and are available for students, faculty, and staff to use at any time during the day. Whether someone needs a quick snack, a place to prepare food brought from home, or simply a comfortable spot to eat, these kitchens offer accessible, free support that helps reduce food insecurity on campus.

By maintaining these open facilities for everyone, GUST directly contributes to SDG 2.3.2 and SDG 2.3.5, which call for interventions that prevent hunger among both students and staff. The availability of these kitchens ensures that the entire university community has consistent access to food-preparation resources, promoting well-being and supporting an inclusive, caring campus environment.

Sustainable Food Choices:

GUST works with its campus dining vendors, such as Pret A Manger, to offer a variety of sustainable food choices, including vegetarian meals, vegan options, and dishes prepared with reduced environmental impact.
Most campus food outlets provide:

Vegetarian main dishes
Vegan snacks or beverages
Meals prepared with minimal food waste
A growing focus on plant-based and healthier menu selections

These options ensure that sustainability and environmental responsibility are integrated into everyday dining choices, meeting Indicator 2.3.3.

Healthy and Affordable Food Choices:

GUST ensures that healthy and affordable food is available to its community through all major food outlets on campus such as Pick and Trolley.
These outlets offer:

Fresh salads, fruits, and balanced meal options
Low-sugar, low-fat, and high-protein alternatives
Access to water stations across campus to reduce sugary drink consumption

These measures promote student and staff health while ensuring that nutritious meals remain accessible and affordable, directly supporting Indicator 2.3.4.

Access to Food Security Knowledge:

GUST supports food security efforts by offering free educational workshops and seminars focused on nutrition, healthy eating, and sustainable food choices.
Through these sessions, students and community members gain:

Practical knowledge on balanced diets and nutrient-rich meals
Awareness of how nutrition impacts long-term health and well-being
Insight into sustainable consumption habits that reduce food waste
Guidance on making healthier, more affordable food decisions

These initiatives help build foundational skills that contribute to stronger food security awareness in the community, aligning with Indicator 2.5.1, which emphasizes accessible knowledge related to nutrition, food sustainability, and informed dietary choices.

Events for Local Farmers and Food Producers

In November 2025, GUST welcomed local sustainable food companies such as The Local Beet and The Daily Beet, to campus as part of an initiative to promote healthier eating habits and support local producers. The companies set up interactive booths where they showcased their fresh produce, shared knowledge about sustainable farming practices, and engaged directly with students, faculty, and staff. These interactions created a valuable space for knowledge exchange, allowing young people to learn more about local agriculture, nutrition, and environmentally conscious food choices, while also giving the producers an opportunity to connect with the wider community and with each other.

This event directly aligns with SDG 2.5.2, which encourages universities to host activities that bring local farmers and food producers together to transfer knowledge and build stronger community links. By providing this platform free of charge, GUST supports local agricultural businesses, promotes sustainable food systems, and enriches the campus community’s understanding of responsible consumption.

Labs Access to Local Food Producers:

GUST supports local innovation and sustainable production by opening its on-campus FabLab facilities to the wider community. In 2025, the University offered a free 3D Printing and Laser Cutting course taught by GUST FabLab Engineer Mohamad AlSahli, welcoming local innovators, entrepreneurs, and small-scale producers from across Kuwait, including those working in agriculture and food production. By giving participants access to professional-grade equipment and technical training, the program enabled them to design tools, prototypes, packaging solutions, and production aids that could improve efficiency and sustainability within their own businesses.

This initiative directly fulfills SDG 2.5.3, which encourages universities to provide farmers and producers with access to institutional resources that support sustainable practices. By opening its labs and technology to the community, GUST helps empower local producers, strengthens innovation, and promotes more sustainable approaches to food and product development in Kuwait.

Sustainable Food Purchases:

GUST supports sustainable consumption by prioritizing food outlets on campus that source their products locally and sustainably. Several restaurants and cafés operating at the University, such as Pick, rely on local suppliers for their ingredients, helping to reduce transportation-related emissions, support small and medium enterprises in Kuwait, and ensure fresher, higher-quality food for the campus community.

By choosing vendors who emphasize responsible sourcing, seasonal products, and environmentally friendly supply chains, GUST actively contributes to more sustainable food systems. This practice directly aligns with Indicator 2.5.4, which encourages institutions to prioritize purchasing from local and sustainable sources as part of a broader commitment to environmental responsibility and community support.

Community Outreach:

Partnerships with NGOs:

GUST collaborates with local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and charities dedicated to addressing food insecurity. This partnership allows the university to extend its support beyond the campus and actively contribute to community efforts to combat hunger.

Food Distribution Programs:

The university participates in food distribution programs, especially during times of crisis or need. By providing meals and essential food items to vulnerable populations, GUST plays a vital role in alleviating hunger in the broader Kuwaiti community. Through initiatives like this, GUST reinforces its commitment to addressing food insecurity beyond campus, raising awareness among students about hunger-related challenges, and promoting sustainable practices of giving, nutrition support, and social responsibility in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

In March 2024, the Public Relations Club at GUST led an important Zero Hunger initiative in partnership with a local charity organization. As part of supporting SDG 2, students helped prepare and distribute freshly cooked, nutritious meals to families experiencing food insecurity during the holy month of Ramadan. This included low-income households, immigrant families, and individuals with limited access to regular meals.

The project directly contributed to alleviating hunger within the local community and reflected the values of SDG 2 by improving access to healthy food, especially during a period of increased need. At the same time, it offered GUST students hands-on experience with organizing food-distribution efforts, understanding community nutritional needs, and supporting vulnerable groups with dignity and compassion.

Research and Advocacy:

GUST encourages research on food security and related issues, empowering students and faculty to generate innovative solutions. Through advocacy efforts, the university raises awareness about the importance of SDG 2 and urges stakeholders to take action.

GUST's commitment to SDG 2, "Zero Hunger," is a testament to its dedication to societal well-being. By addressing food security issues within its campus and actively participating in community outreach programs, GUST contributes to the global goal of eradicating hunger and fostering a more sustainable and equitable future for Kuwait and the world. Through education, action, and collaboration, the university demonstrates the potential for institutions of higher learning to be powerful agents of positive change.

Global Studies Center Hosts Seminar on the Geopolitics of Food Security

Gulf University for Science and Technology’s (GUST) Global Studies Center (GSC), in coordination with the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Science (KFAS), hosted a seminar titled “The Geopolitics of Food Security: New Players in Global Value Chains and what it Means for Food Importers in the Middle East”. The session was led by Prof. Eckart Woertz, a scientific advisor to the Kuwait Chair at Sciences Po in Paris, and was attended by students, faculty, and the general public.

The purpose of the seminar was to provide a Middle Eastern frame of reference to the Gulf food system and the way their societies are situated within the global food-production economy. This included going through earlier Gulf investment attempts in the 1970s, and how they fit in the newly emerging geo-economic landscape of global food markets. Dr. Eckart then related this to the wake of the global food crisis of 2008, where Middle Eastern oil producers announced multi-billion dollar investments to secure food supplies from outside the region. He also highlighted the controversy of these investments at the heart of the global food security challenge that put the Middle East in the spotlight of simultaneous global crises in the fields of food, finance, and energy.

Speaking ahead of the lecture, prof. Woertz, said, “The Middle East is not only the world's largest oil exporter, but also its largest importer of food. Global food value chains and a sustainable management of the water-energy-food nexus are crucial for its future.”

The lecture, which lasted for 45 minutes, was followed by a Q&A session where attendees had the chance to question and discuss Prof. Weortz’s arguments.

The GSC was founded in 2015 year in partnership with the National University of Singapore, and aims to conduct cutting-edge research on cross-national political, economic, social, cultural, and environmental issues of critical importance, and share research output and information regionally and globally. It seeks to foster public understanding of global issues and support the policy-making processes of concerned states.

Previous events hosted by the GSC include a discussion to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the liberation of Kuwait from Iraqi occupation, sponsored by the US Embassy in Kuwait, a lecture by Dr. Peter Sluglett, an expert on Middle Eastern history and Director of the Middle East Institute at NUS, entitled: “An Improvement on Colonialism? The ‘A’ Mandates and their Legacy in the Middle East”, and one by Dr. Daniel Brumberg, the Kuwait Program Visiting Professor at the Paris School of International Affairs, on US-Arab Relations in a Time of Crisis.

GUST Launches “GUST_Cares” Initiative

Kuwait City, 28 April 2021: GUST launched an initiative titled “GUST_Cares” which entailed distributing food boxes for those in need during the holy month of Ramadan. The campaign was launched at the start of the holy month and allowed for wider community participation, with staff members of OSL organized full day trips to certain areas of the country, carrying out the donations to the recipients. The overall goal is to distribute and donate 1000 boxes during the holy month of Ramadan.

Students, faculty, and staff GUST community members were encouraged to either bring in supplies and food which will be put into boxes, or to take a box home and donate it to their liking. The Office of Student Life, OSL, who took charge of this drive, provided a list of necessities and food items families might require as appropriate options to donate and place within the boxes. Student clubs also participated as they took a sizeable portion of the boxes and donated them, clubs involved included: The Technology Club, the Bayan Cultural Club, the Music Club, the Islamic Finance Club, and the Human Rights Club.

Head of the Office of Student Life, Aseel Abou Nemah said “An initiative such as GUST_Cares is a social responsibility from us as a university and reinforces community solidarity. Despite these difficult times this campaign also showcases our student body’s strong sense of responsibility and their passion towards volunteer work and community service. Showing compassion and lending a helping hand to those in need during the holy month of Ramadan is what matters and we hope this encourages others to do the same.”

The charity drive is still ongoing and open to the public to participate. Boxes are available for pickup from campus and instructions on how to donate can be found on official GUST social media accounts. Individuals can share their donations and box designs with the university or tag them on their own personal accounts with the use of the #GUST_Cares hashtag.

Distributing Food Baskets

We are happy in the month of goodness in cooperation with Al-Najaja Charitable Association with the project of distributing food baskets for the holy month of Ramadan, and we are honored to distribute them to our brothers and sisters from the disadvantaged families in Kuwait, all thanks to the members of the Islamic Financing Club and Al-Najaya Charitable Association for the effort made to make this charity project a success, and a special thanks to everyone who contributed and donated.

May Allah accept and reward

SDGs