The Covid-19 pandemic has been a challenging time for everyone in the world, let alone South Africa. Luckily, we have a nation of innovators, strategists, and visionaries that are dedicated to caring for the people of South Africa as a whole.
South Africa has had high rates of food insecurity for a long time, but the pandemic nearly doubled these rates. Amid this hunger crisis, several entities came together to figure out what could be done to provide aid to people and communities struggling to obtain food.
OneFarm Initiative
Standard Bank launched a food initiative in partnership with a digital food request facility known as HelloChoice called OneFarm which is a platform that aims to connect businesses and farms to provide services across agricultural systems. Farmers are aware of the hunger crisis happening in and around South Africa, however, figuring out how to manage the needs of the community proved to be a challenge. That is where OneFarm came in. This platform aims to streamline the distribution process.
Over 12 million South Africans are struggling to obtain consistent nutrition and nourishment and OneFarm helps to identify these communities and effectively set up channels of distribution to donate food.
How does it work?
Basically, surplus fresh produce from farms is bought through Standard Bank’s Corporate Social Investment funding. This provides farmers with enough financial support and also ensures that vulnerable South Africans are given access to quality fresh produce.
This initiative also reduces food waste on a large scale and makes it easier for the agriculture industry to implement sustainable farming practices. OneFarm takes it once step further by asking established and commercial farms to donate their surplus stocks for free. This means that emerging farmers are getting extra financial support for their surplus stock, and commercial farms are helping the nation.
OneFarm also helps to streamline the donating process. Most commercial farms, although they want to donate, are unsure where to go, who to approach, and how to go about the donation process. OneFarm makes it easier for them by establishing a base of charities and communities that are in need of help.
How does OneFarm help?
To this date, OneFarm has acquired over 7 000 tons of produce from nearly 350 farms across South Africa. They have subsequently donated to almost 2 000 charities, made 28 million food parcels, and fed over 1 million South Africans with the help of FoodForward SA and SA Harvest.
Not only this, but out of the 57 emerging farmers that they are supporting, 19 are female. This work has meant so much not only for vulnerable South Africans, but for farmers, the agriculture industry, gender equity, opportunity creation, and the environment.
In partnership with HelloChoice (a digital fresh produce market) and FoodForward SA (one of the bigggest food distribution platforms in South Africa), OneFarm is able to find charities, communities, and lesser-known areas to provide food to in the midst of a hunger crisis.
FoodForward SA
As a food distribution initiative, FoodForward SA has made OneFarm’s work much easier in terms of finding the right charities and obtaining the necessary food to supply to communities. In 2021, they worked to make 30 million meals, a goal which they have nearly surpassed and will likely surpass in the near future.
Dairy Group wholeheartedly supports the development of the agricultural industry and the improvement of our nation as a whole. Without these dedicated and efficient initiatives, the pandemic would have been far more debilitating that it is. Luckily, innovative initiatives and businesses like Standard Bank, FoodForward, and HelloChoice are here to make change accessible.
We can’t wait to see what they have in store for the future as they continue to set up channels, find underprivileged communities, and support emerging farmers in South Africa.
