I had come to understand the constraints farmers face when they have excess produce that they cannot get to markets because of cost constraints.

Things to consider include:

1) the cost of transporting the excess/reject produce to end users

2) the fact that this tends to arise in the midst of the busyness of the harvest and

3) that there is just not manpower to coordinate any kind of distribution.

FoodForwardSA has the answer to this – they come and collect!

So, when we were faced with just this dilemma after a freak storm caused damage to the peel of a significant percentage of our export mandarin citrus crop, FoodForward SA came to mind. Some of the damage was purely cosmetic; others were more serious and could cause the fruit to perish faster than normal. So, it was imperative to move the fruit to an end user without delay.

We were very impressed with FoodForward SA – they were efficient, arriving at the agreed time at our rather inaccessible farm with their impressive truck and professional, friendly staff.  They clearly have the networks to distribute a perishable product at speed.

I have worked for various NGO’s / state health most of my professional career, because I felt that I wanted my skills to be accessible to anyone who needs them, not just those who can afford to pay private fees. So, I have been involved in that way rather than by giving money, and have always had a first-hand feel for the hardships of people who have little to survive on.

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Thank you, Sue, for sharing your reason for giving.  If you are a farmer who also wants to reduce waste, help end hunger, reduce carbon emissions and help communities grow, send us an email at info@foodforwardsa.org