As the world marks World Food Day on the 16th of October, the United Nations has urged people around the world to join in the fight against zero hunger cases.
At least one million people in the Central African Republic have faced starvation this year, South Sudan has suffered from hunger since the youngest nation in Africa achieved independence this year. Malawi has had millions face starvation due to heavy floods and drought that affected the country.
South Africa deals with food wastage caused by high incidence of food wastage from over-production, expired sell-by dates, faulty packaging and excess yields. Yet the country has over 11 million people who sleep hungry.
“Food insecurity is a huge problem in our country at present. Recent statistics show us that at least between 11 and 14 million people are hungry or at risk of hunger as we speak today. In addition to that, we have a huge problem on the other hand of food wastage. We have in excess of 29 billion tonnes being manufactured each year. But nine billion of that is going either to waste or being or dumped.” said Andy Du Plessis, Managing Director, Foodbank South Africa
A humanitarian organization, FoodBank, collects the surplus food from manufacturers, wholesaler, retailers and donors from around the country and share it out to needy South Africans.
