By: Nghiinomenwa Erastus
The Capricorn Foundation is offering N$100 000 to individuals and groups of five who can come up with innovative, relevant ideas to reduce food waste in the Namibian economy.
The foundation, which is part of the Capricorn Group, announced in a media statement yesterday, calling on innovative solutions from the public to reduce food waste in Namibia.
The Food Waste Challenge is based on an open innovation platform, offering N$100 000 for the winning solution.
The group explained in the press release that it seeks ideas in the form of a written proposal for reducing food waste in Namibia that will create new possibilities in addressing the basic need of food security for the most vulnerable people in Namibia.
Secondly, the proposal should positively impact society to improve the quality of life of many Namibians.
The proposal will be evaluated on a theoretical basis, considering the current state of knowledge concerning food waste in Namibia.
The Capricorn Foundation Marlize Horn, the executive officer, indicated that “every day there are tons of consumable food being discarded as waste,”.
Horn added that the foundation acknowledges the ongoing efforts to address Namibia’s food insecurity issue.
To complement the efforts, the foundation seeks new possibilities that can tip over a pivotal domino on the problem of the food waste chain that can result in exponential benefits.
A solution to this problem would not only address the basic need of food security for the most vulnerable people in Namibia, but it can positively impact society and improve the quality of life of many Namibians, explained Horn.
“Ultimately, we are seeking solutions that would effectively lead to more food, which would have been wasted otherwise, to reach the vulnerable communities,” she stated.
Horn added that through the process, the Capricorn Group also hopes to increase awareness of the issue of food insecurity and the contribution that food waste is adding to this problem.
The foundation seeks new possibilities that will provide original and impactful solutions for any part of the total value chain.
Starting from collecting food waste from sources, verifying suitability for human consumption, and distributing the food to receivers/distributors, where it can be further used or distributed to Beneficiaries.
The solutions must lead to more food, which would have otherwise been wasted, to reach the vulnerable communities.
The ideas will be evaluated on their relevance, level of innovation, feasibility/practicability, impacts or benefits, its sustainability and ability to be scaled up.
