In the fight against hunger and climate change, not all solutions require new technology – sometimes, they simply require a shift in perspective. That’s exactly what the FRAME methodology offers.
Developed by the Global FoodBanking Network (GFN), Carbon Trust, and Global Methane Hub, FRAME – short for Food Recovery to Avoid Methane Emissions – is a groundbreaking approach that quantifies the climate benefits of recovering surplus food. By calculating how much methane emissions are avoided when edible food is rescued from landfills and redistributed to people instead, FRAME turns everyday food recovery into powerful, reportable climate action.
Why does this research matter? Because food loss and waste are responsible for up to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. When food rots in landfills, it releases methane – a greenhouse gas 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide over 20 years. By recovering food timeously, organisations like FoodForward SA don’t just fight hunger, we prevent emissions at the source.
For FoodForward SA, Africa’s largest food recovery and redistribution organisation, adopting FRAME is more than a technical upgrade – it’s a bold statement. It signals that hunger relief and climate resilience are not opposing goals, but twin outcomes of a smarter, more just food system. FRAME allows FFSA to quantify the emissions avoided through their daily operations – whether that’s redistributing surplus vegetables from farms, baked goods from retailers, or protein-rich foods from manufacturers.
By applying the FRAME methodology, FFSA can now translate its work into credible climate metrics. This data can feed into South Africa’s greenhouse gas inventories and Biennial Transparency Reports under the Paris Agreement. That means FFSA’s community-driven work, delivering nutritious food to over a million people, is officially contributing to national climate goals. What gets measured gets recognized. And what gets recognized can get funded.
The implications are huge. With FRAME in place, FFSA is now positioned to issue carbon credits, access climate finance from donors focused on methane mitigation, food systems resilience, and sustainable development. It also strengthens FFSA’s appeal to corporate partners looking to reduce Scope 3 emissions through responsible surplus food donation.
But beyond metrics and funding, FRAME underscores a deeper truth: that local, community-based organisations like FFSA are frontline climate actors. They are already delivering scalable, cost-effective impact with immediate social and environmental benefits. FRAME gives them the tools to prove it.
In a world searching for quick wins on climate, food recovery offers one of the most powerful – yet underused – levers. With FRAME, FoodForward SA is helping South Africa not only reduce waste and hunger but also take a meaningful bite out of methane. That’s a win for people, planet, and policy.
