Why Business Drivers for Food Safety is Key to Feed the Future’s Global Food Security Strategy
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations’ (FAO) latest report, it is estimated that between 691 and 783 million people in the world faced hunger in 2022, and that in 2030, almost 600 million people will be chronically undernourished. To address such an alarming reality, Feed the Future developed the Global Food Security Strategy (GFSS) 2022-2026 to sustainably reduce global poverty, hunger and malnutrition across Feed the Future’s objectives.
Through Feed the Future Business Drivers for Food Safety (BD4FS), funded by USAID, Food Enterprise Solutions (FES) is on a mission to energize the global food system to better balance global needs and profit. FES leverages the powers of business, entrepreneurship and innovation as key drivers in the global fight against hunger and malnutrition. More specifically, BD4FS aims to strengthen the capacities of growing food businesses (GFBs) by codesigning and implementing incentive-based strategies to reduce the risk of food contamination, mitigate preconsumer food loss and strengthen local food systems.
The three main objectives of the GFSS are outlined below, followed by a brief explanation of the ways in which BD4FS contributes to these objectives.
Objective 1: Inclusive and sustainable agriculture-led economic growth
Growth in the agricultural sector is up to four times more effective at reducing extreme poverty in developing countries than growth in other sectors
Although BD4FS focuses on the middle segments of the value chain and not specifically “on-farm,” the linkages between agricultural growth and GFBs are important to understand and are evident. Below is but one example of a GFB that has an extensive and integrated business model that provides services, pays immediate cash to farmers (further motivating them to produce more safe food), cold storage and logistics support. Kindly see the video below for full details on Freshktm, a Nepalese food business that is transforming supply chains for fresh produce throughout the country.
Objective 2: Strengthened resilience among people, communities, countries and systems
Building resilience helps people, households, communities and countries mitigate risk and manage shocks and stresses without compromising their food security, nutrition, livelihoods and well-being
BD4FS contributes to a culture of food safety in Senegal, Ethiopia and Nepal by providing technical assistance, mass trainings, validation services, investment opportunities and consumer food safety outreach. As such, GFBs are able to improve their businesses through the uptake of better food safety management practices and market these improvements to their consumers to generate more income.
For example, there was an average increase of 23.89% in annual sales for GFBs that participated in BD4FS activities and trainings.
Through such improvements, businesses are more resilient, which ultimately impacts communities and local food systems by increasing the availability of and access to safe and nutritious food. In addition, as GFBs continually increase their food safety practices and build a reputation, their access to financial capital may also increase, thereby providing a safeguard against any potential shocks.
Objective 3: A well-nourished population, especially among women and children
Addressing malnutrition in all its forms is fundamental to eliminating the related economic and health impacts and to ensure resilient, prosperous communities
Feed the Future focuses on improving the quality and affordability of nutritious diets, raising incomes and empowering women. To this end, BD4FS partners with women-owned/operated GFBs to adopt better food safety practices and to increase food safety knowledge and awareness. Through multiple pathways of engagement, GFBs are better equipped to produce safe, nutritious foods for consumers. Moreover, what women learn about food safety through BD4FS activities for their businesses has the potential to spill over into their personal lives, with their children, for example. Therefore, BD4FS may have household-level impacts that improve nutritional outcomes for women and children.
To date:
A total of 261 BD4FS-led food safety trainings have been conducted.
A total of 10,001 individuals have participated (74% women, 26% men and 25% youth).
BD4FS will continue to work with GFBs in Feed the Future countries to help promote a culture of food safety that is inclusive, locally led and sustainable.