Abstract:
Foodbanking in South Africa is still a relatively new and unknown concept. South Africa
has more than 11 million people who are food insecure, thus dependent on the aid of
non-profit organizations such as foodbanks. Foodbank South Africa is a non-profit
organization that strives to narrow the gap between excess and need by receiving and
distributing unwanted food in our communities. Foodbank strives to involve the public,
the commercial sector and social organizations to integrate and address the hunger
problem as a joint system.
There are numerous facets in foodbanking that require deeper study for improvement as
the demand for food is ever-increasing whilst large amounts of consumable food are still
going to waste. This study aims to develop a quantitative method to make food allocation
decisions at Foodbank Johannesburg. A standardized allocation system will help
Foodbank JHB to make better use of its food resources, depend less on human judgment
and assist in planning and decision-making.
The following data preparations were required prior to the model formulation: The
breakdown of food dietary groups, the classification of agency types, the definition of the
agencies’ dietary requirements, and finally the analysis of historical inflow of donations. A
forecasting system of the expected food donations is determined by studying historic data.
Finally a mathematical model is formulated that calculates the various food types and
quantities allocated to each agency. Linear programming is used as an optimization tool.
