According to Food Forward South Africa more than 30 million people across the country are either food insecure or severely at risk. At the same time thirty percent of food produced in South Africa is thrown away.The situation is desperate.
FoodForward SA was established in 2009 to address the issue of widespread hunger in South Africa. The organisation implements a unique model called FoodBanking, which involves the recovery of good quality edible surplus food from the consumer goods supply chain and distributing it to registered community organisations that serve the poor.
Poor households are increasingly spending a disproportionate amount of their income on essentials such as food, housing, and transport. As a consequence, there is nothing left for other needs like clothing, education and healthcare. Accelerating access to healthy food in innovative and cost-effective ways is a key determinant of our country’s growth and success.
In May 2019, before the full impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and resultant economic slowdown could be measured, the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP) found that a family of four would need to spend R2 524 a month on basic foods. This is about 32% of a household’s monthly spend, which means that a family of four would need to earn R7 800 per month just to afford basic food groceries. The situation has worsened over the last year.
In its 2020 Baseline Agricultural Outlook report, the BFAP found that the poorest consumers are spending a disproportionate 40% of their income on food, while the wealthiest spend only 5% on food.Food Forward SA operates seven branches across the country, and the majority of these are managed by women.
Over the course of the 2020/2021 financial year, FoodForward SA recovered and distributed 7,215 tons of food to more than 1,000 registered beneficiary organisations (BOs). That amounts to a staggering 29 million nutritious meals distributed. They currently reach 675,000 beneficiaries through a network of 1,200 BOs such as creches, community feeding programmes, facilities for orphans and vulnerable children, the disabled, the elderly and frail, shelters for women, the homeless, rehab and skills development centres for at-risk youth among others. Yolanda Makhanya is the branch manager at FoodForward SA’s Durban warehouse. She joined FoodForward SA five years ago after a period of experiencing the trauma of being unable to provide food for her daughter. During her time at FoodForward SA she has acquired skills in a number of relevant fields as well as furthering her studies in Supply Chain Management.
“My job is extremely challenging. Each day has its own surprises. I get the opportunity to meet people from different social and business backgrounds as well as get to work with a great team. I arrived at the branch as a young woman, and I have grown stronger every year”.
Over the next year FoodForward SA plans to distribute enough food to make 40 million meals, through a network of 1,500 beneficiary organisations. The organisation will also intensify their Mobile Rural Depot programme in order to reach more vulnerable rural communities.
In the North West Province FoodForward SA’s Rustenburg branch is managed by Charne Kriel who joined the organisation a little over a year ago.
“This job makes you humble. So many of us take food for granted and working here has been a real eye-opener. I am very proud of the whole team. We figure out problems together, come up with solutions and get on with it. And then when you sit at your dinner table at night knowing that you made it possible for thousands of people to have the same luxury, it is heart-warming to say the least,” says Kriel.
“My vision is to grow our footprint in the North West Province, so that each and every child and adult has food to eat on a daily basis, from Brits right through to the Border of Botswana and every town and street in-between,” says Kriel.
