Food Security in South Africa : improving the availability, affordability, and quality of fresh produce in informal communities

Abstract

This project addresses the growing concern of food security in informal communities in South Africa by carrying out a case study on the fresh produce supply chain in Soshanguve South. The focus of the project is to determine the best way to efficiently and effectively supply Modular Innobox’s Street Fresh with fresh produce. The solution that has been recommended is called the Street Fresh Delivery Service (SFDS). The service takes orders from the Street Fresh and other street vendors in Soshanguve South, purchases from the Tshwane Fresh Produce Market in bulk on their behalf, and then delivers the orders. The service saves the Street Fresh and street vendors time and money, and is key to improving the availability, affordability, and quality of fresh produce in the community. The service also gives the Street Fresh a competitive edge in the community as a greater variety of produce can be stocked and customer demands can be met. The implementation plan of the SFDS is outlined in this report. Start-up capital of R65 000 is needed to successfully implement and maintain the service, and a net profit before taxes of R138 700 can be realised after the first 12 months of operation. The SFDS can save a street vendor R50 each day, increase the vendors profits by 35%, and eliminate the need for the vendor to travel to the market every morning. The SFDS can improve the degree of food security in Soshanguve South, and can be implemented in low-income informal communities in Gauteng to improve their fresh produce supply chains. It is recommended that further research is carried out in the use of cashless systems for the SFDS, establishing a centralised marketplace in the community, establishing direct links with local farmers, and finally the option of re-selling food waste from supermarkets or farms.