HelloChoice says that the recent civil unrest has threatened food security in the parts of the country that were affected.

To assist in providing citizens who do not have access to food, Standard Bank has assisted in providing 80 tons of fresh food to communities in KwaZulu-Natal. 

OneFarm Share matches requests for food relief to smallholders, emerging farmers and food processors with excess fresh produce. It also provides a reliable, trusted, channel for them to donate their surplus food to help overcome hunger and poverty. The platform allows corporate donors and the public to help too.

The platform aims to help farmers get their surplus produce to the relief market fast and effectively by providing transport, logistics and warehousing support, which has been made possible as a result of FoodForward's existing logistics and infrastructure capabilities.

In the last two weeks, a total of 80 tons of fresh produce has been distributed by OneFarm Share, into the province of KwaZulu-Natal. The province has taken a substantial knock, especially in the rural areas of:
  • eSikhaleni
  • Empangeni
  • Pongola
  • Nongoma
  • Dundee
  • Pomeroy
  • Tugela Ferry
  • Greytown
  • Mooi River, and
  • Howick.
According to the initiative, KZN was the epicentre of the larger portion of the civil unrest and is a major producer of various agricultural products such as sugar, milk and poultry products. The province also serves as an entry for imported food products, including wheat, rice, poultry products and palm oils.

Grant Jacobs from HelloChoice says, "OneFarm Share has also been able to assist PicknPay's Feed The Nation foundation through food deliveries this week. [This is through] engaging Tripplo (a logistics software platform built to automate and optimise operations for transporters in Africa) for logistical support in moving food parcels from Norwood to Umhlanga."

"We are in ongoing discussions as to how else we can support Feed The Nations' food relief efforts, particularly with fresh produce from OneFarm Share," adds Jacobs.

Accenture South Africa has pledged an additional 36 tons of fresh produce over the next three weeks, procured directly from several Gauteng emerging farmers for distribution via the OneFarm Share network.

While more food donations are expected to trickle in, an emergency social assistance programme is needed to prevent a full-blown food security crisis from unfolding in the short term, especially among some of the most vulnerable communities in these towns, according to the initiative.

Wendy Pienaar, Standard Bank's head of Ecosystems, says, "This has been the main driver for the creation of the overall OneFarm Platform, a digital business-to-business platform to connect and provide services across the agricultural ecosystem through lend, protect, grow, trade and share services."

"Given the extraordinary events that took place in our country, which has now resulted in the disruption of food supply chains, we at Standard Bank are now able to provide access to additional solutions for our clients in the agricultural value chains who have experienced local marketing and distribution challenges for their produce," adds Pienaar.

One of the solutions is for farmers with surplus / non-premium produce, where OneFarm Share offers a route to market on a donation / special offer basis, and this food will go directly into the food relief space through accredited beneficiary organisations, such as:
  • FoodForwardSA
  • SA Harvest, and
  • Gift of the Givers.
Those willing to donate to the cause can donate via SnapScan.

For more information, visit www.onefarmshare.co.za. You can also follow OneFarm Share on Facebook or on Instagram.