More than a third of locally produced food is wasted every year in South Africa. Much of the food, of which 44% is made up of fruit and vegetables, is lost at the early stages of production.
According to a recent Council for Scientific and Industrial Research [CSIR] survey, it revealed that as much as 68% of South Africa’s food losses and waste happens before it has even been harvested. While 19% of waste occurs during post-harvest handling and storage, and the rest during processing, packaging, and consumer level.
At the same time, one in five South African households is food insecure. This means they don’t know when they’ll eat again or where this meal will come from. The Eastern Cape, where almost one in three (32%) households is food insecure, is the worst affected.
“Although South Africa’s food supply chains are remarkably efficient, we need to improve unnecessary waste. At FoodForward SA we act as a catalyst by minimising waste at source by orchestrating a network of volunteers, farmers, and national logistics to collect surplus fresh produce during peak harvest times. These fruits, which would often be left unharvested due to market conditions or aesthetic standards, find a new purpose in nourishing vulnerable families across South Africa.” says Andy Du Plessis, managing director of Food Forward SA (FFSA).
To help FFSA in its mission to create a South Africa without hunger, Du Plessis is calling on all farmers to donate their quality surplus food to the cause. FFSA can dispatch trucks to collect surplus food on farms, or it can be delivered to any FFSA site across the country.
“Collaboration, innovation, and community engagement can transform surplus foods into a source of hope for South Africa,” says Du Plessis. “We are writing a new narrative — one where no one is left hungry, and no community left vulnerable.”