Page 23 - Logistics News - August 2021

F O O D C H A IN INI T I A T I V E

October 2019, this national food rescue organisation Logistical needs
has delivered the equivalent of 7.5 million nutritious SA Harvest has a fleet of refrigerated and other
meals to food-vulnerable communities throughout vehicles operating from warehouses in Briardene
South Africa. in Durban, Epping in Cape Town and Sandton in
Johannesburg. A proprietary technology platform
Ending hunger in SA is being built to enhance the organisation’s logistics
SA Harvest was established in 2019 when around 14 capability, which will help enhance the efficiency of
million people were going hungry every day. Since the entire food rescue supply chain. “This platform
then, the need has increased due to the extended will allow for knowledge and data sharing with NGOs
lockdown and consequent increase in unemployment and other key stakeholders and bring about the
to unprecedented levels. collaboration needed to build solutions. It empowers
how we tackle the problem of food waste in South
The organisation is taking a revolutionary Africa and eventually scale sufficiently for our
approach to ending hunger by addressing its industry to be more effective.”
systemic root causes, leveraging innovative
technology and simultaneously tackling the Browde says that solving hunger at the scale
immediate need through rescuing nutritious food it exists in South Africa ultimately boils down to
that would have gone to waste and delivering it logistics solutions. “No one company can acquire
where it’s needed most. enough vehicles to accomplish this massive task.
We have a huge need for logistics partners who can
In South Africa, 10 million tons of good food go to become part of the solution. Through our technology
waste every year, which is one third of the 31 million platform and the mapping of food donors and those
tons produced annually in the country. Around 90 in need, empty and under-utilised return loads could
percent of organic waste, including food, ends up in make all the difference and we implore logistics
landfills, leading to the production of methane gas, companies to help us end hunger in South Africa”.
which is a significant contributor to climate change
and global warming. SA Harvest is able to issue a Section 18A
certificate to all donors of tangible, billable products
Browde explains that SA Harvest is on a mission and services. This includes logistics, with the
to redirect large scale food waste throughout the value being based on the value of the load and the
entire food chain to where it is needed the most by distance in kilometres. Section 18A certificates
collaboratively and technologically addressing the allow organisations to deduct up to 10 percent of
current flaws in the food ecosystem. their taxable income. “Giving makes good business
sense. Donating allows you to communicate your CSI
“Our current emphasis on ending hunger in South initiatives and, through the Section 18A, saves money
Africa is food rescue. We work with food donors on your bottom line.”
(manufacturers, farmers, retailers) to rescue this food
and redirect it to beneficiaries who convert it into He concludes, “The response from logistics
nutritious meals,” says Browde. Most of this wastage companies to the call for assistance with our KZN
and loss occurs early in the food supply chain, where relief efforts was overwhelming and highlights the
50 percent is lost during the post-harvest phase, 25 enormous role they have to play in the world of
percent during processing and packaging, 20 percent food rescue and in developing systemic solutions
during distribution and retail, and 5 percent at to hunger. It is inspiring how South Africans come
consumer level, according to a 2017 article in Farmer’s together to assist one another when facing crises – it’s
Weekly. one of the most uplifting experiences of living in this
country.”
“With the right technology, logistics and L O GI S T I CS NEWS
enablement platforms, we can access significantly Logistics companies interested in partnering
more nutrient rich food to deliver it where it’s needed with SA Harvest can contact Margolite Williams on
the most.” 079 495 4433 or email her at margolite@saharvest.org. •

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