FoodForward SA’s national food recovery efforts have been significantly strengthened by the collaboration with OneFarm Share, a digital initiative powered by Standard Bank and HelloChoice, forging a sustainable model for redirecting fresh surplus produce to communities in need.

Tackling a Dual Crisis: Surplus Waste Meets Food Insecurity

In South Africa, more than 2 million tons of fresh produce is wasted annually – even before it reaches the market – as nearly one in four households lack adequate access to nutritious food. OneFarm Share directly addresses this imbalance: farmers list available excess or out-of-spec produce via the HelloChoice digital platform, which matches supply with demand from registered charitable organisations like FoodForward SA.

Operational Synergy: How the Partnership Works

• Platform coordination: Farmers upload produce availability onto the HelloChoice marketplace. One Farm Share negotiates a preferential rate with the farmer and purchases the surplus produce which it then donates to FFSA for redistribution.
• Distribution network: FoodForward SA leverages its national network, cold-chain fleet, and mobile rural depots to ensure rapid and efficient collection and delivery of fresh produce across all nine provinces. As well as its Beneficiary Network of 2500 registered NGO’s and CBOs who are the recipients of the surplus food, to reach just under 1million food-insecure people every day.

Impact Highlights

• In cooperation with FoodForward‑SA, large donations such as weekly potato surpluses have been redirected – approximately five truckloads per week – to all branches nationwide, contributing to over five million meals and reducing cost-per-meal to just R0.50c.
• Thanks to our access to diverse fresh produce, including butternut, spinach, “amadumbe” (taro root), onions, beetroot, and aubergine, FFSA’s beneficiary organisations now receive 41 different types of fresh produce. The nutritional value of the food basket has improved from 82 % to over 90 %.

Why This Partnership Matters

1. Preventing food waste
   Surplus produce that would otherwise be dumped is recovered and redirected, reducing climate impacts, pressure on landfills and avoiding the loss of farming inputs like water, energy, and labour.
2. Strengthening food security
   By supplying fresh fruits and vegetables to community feeding sites, the programme significantly improves the dietary diversity on offer, moving beyond staples and starches to balanced meals.
3. Economic inclusion for smallholder farmers
   Emerging and women-led farming enterprises gain market access, fair pricing, and reliable buyers via the HelloChoice channel, boosting income and business resilience.
4. Efficient, scalable logistics
   Building on FoodForward SA’s well-developed distribution infrastructure, surplus produce is collected in bulk – including using return loads – and distributed rapidly across our national network.

Looking Ahead

FoodForward SA and the OneFarm Share ecosystem continue to deepen impact. In the years ahead, this partnership aims to:

• Further amplify the volume and variety of produce recovered and redistributed.
• Expand opportunities for small-scale and women farmers in underserved communities.
• Increase the health and nutritional value of delivered meals across the national feeding network.

This collaboration between OneFarm Share and FoodForward SA exemplifies a modern, integrated approach to fighting food insecurity. By turning excess into impact, we’re moving closer to a South Africa where nutritious food is more accessible, and no harvest goes to waste.