SA Harvest, logistics partners tackle food insecurity in Eastern Cape

Source: Supplied - Human chains were deployed to offload the CHEP bins filled with fresh butternut and melons

“Logistics lies at the heart of addressing food insecurity on a large scale,” said Ozzy Nel, chief operating officer at SA Harvest.

"When immediate intervention is needed to rescue fresh, nutritious food in large volumes, we rely on seamless coordination to move produce quickly. The support from DSV and CHEP was instrumental in making sure a huge donation of fresh fruit and vegetables donated by Habata Farm did not go to waste."

Logistical operations

The operation involved several key components:

• Surplus produce: Habata Farm donated 18 bins of spanspek melons and butternut squash.
• Transportation: DSV navigated the pickup and delivery during the busy Christmas period, ensuring the fresh produce arrived on time.
• Bin rotation and equipment: OneFarm Share, in partnership with CHEP, sourced and delivered rotating bins. CHEP generously provided its services free of charge, ensuring swift movement along the supply chain.
• Manual offloading: Without forklifts at the Missionvale Care Centre, volunteers formed a human chain to offload the produce.

Source: Supplied - Butternuts being distributed in the Eastern Cape through Missionvale Care Centre

Feeding families in need

Upon arrival at the Missionvale Care Centre, the produce was distributed to families in Bethelsdorp, a community facing significant food insecurity. This initiative demonstrates the importance of cooperation in ensuring surplus food reaches those who need it most.

"Over 6.5 million South Africans experience hunger daily, while 10 million tonnes of food are wasted each year. Food rescue at a large scale is one of the solutions to addressing the enormous need in our country, but it requires collaboration at every level.

"When you see volunteers standing shoulder-to-shoulder to offload produce, you realise the immense power of cooperation," Nel said.