Standards for procurements of food ingredients to be used at Athlete’s Village and other facilities for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games were revealed to the Japan Agricultural News on December 3.
The standards have been drafted by the Sustainable Procurement Working Group of the Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
According to the drafted standards, domestically produced agricultural and livestock products are to be given priority in procurements of food ingredients at the Olympic Athlete’s Village and other related facilities. Those products will need to meet certification standards required by the Good Agricultural Practice (GAP).
The Procurement Working Group also plans to advise the Athlete’s Village and others to consume farm crops produced by organic farmers and handicapped people.
The Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games will be a good opportunity for Japanese farmers to attract visitors from all over the world with high qualities of their products.
Locally produced agricultural products will be selected as priority ingredients of foods to be served for athletes and other persons concerned of the Olympic Games, taking into consideration development of domestic agriculture, multiple functions played by rural communities, and reduction of greenhouse gas emission by shortening the distance of “food miles.”
Standards for procurements of food ingredients were fixed respectively by each Olympic organising committee.
Since the London 2012 Olympic Games, it has become common for the organising committees to consider safety, environmental preservation and sustainability in choosing foods and ingredients. The final proposal on food procurement standards of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be officially made by the end of fiscal year 2016.