Hunger affects more than 800 million people, globally, yet 14% of the world’s food (valued at $400 billion per year) continues to be lost and wasted. Food loss and waste has a negative impact on the environment, economy and food security. As stated in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals, the reduction of food loss and waste throughout the value chain, from production to consumption, is critical to improving food security while reducing pressure on the environment.
In South Africa, 30 million people are experiencing various degrees of food insecurity, from starvation and daily hunger to chronic malnutrition, yet, as much as 10 million tons of food – most of which is of good quality – is dumped or incinerated annually!
Given our national reach, FoodForward SA has the infrastructural capacity, track record and expertise to timeously recover and redistribute surplus food to vulnerable people at scale. However, since South Africa does not have legislation governing food donations (covering liability protection for food donors, among others), far too many supply chain actors are reluctant to donate. Instead, they continue to dump or incinerate good quality edible surplus food.
In September, last year, to coincide with the International Day of Food Loss & Waste, FoodForward SA launched the Repurpose the Surplus campaign, to raise awareness and educate the general public about the severity of food loss and waste in South Africa, as well as rising food insecurity due to the cost of living crisis, and what we can do to address this.
Initiating from the work started by the Global Food Donation Policy Atlas project in 2019, FoodForward SA has been working closely with our partners, the Consumer Goods Council of South Africa (CGCSA), the Global Foodbanking Network (GFN), Harvard Law School Food Law and Policy Clinic and the Legal Resources Centre (LRC) on drafting a food donations policy framework for South Africa.
Part of our campaign is a petition drive to gather 100,000 signatures so that the food donations policy can be heard at National Assembly.
Please support our campaign to alleviate the burden of food insecurity by stopping the massive food loss and waste in South Africa. Sign the petition here.
