FoodFlow is an organisation working to create a showcase 0% food loss-value chain for fruits and vegetables. They initiate and build local social start-ups in Kenya to fill in the gaps in the value chain from which food is currently being lost. To date, they have four ventures under development in the chain of mangos, avocados and french beans. The ventures seek to:
enable the processing of excess- and lower grade produce (to prolong shelf-life and address issues of oversupply),
enhance the availability of cold storage infrastructure (to reduce storage losses), and
connect smallholders directly with buyers, both wholesale and small shops, through online platforms (to increase farmer incomes).
FoodFlow shares their learnings, and invites others to replicate solutions across East Africa with the aim of enhancing food security and farmer incomes throughout the region.
Biodiversity benefits
By reducing post-harvest food loss through capturing the value of what has already been grown, FoodFlow helps reduce pressures on increased food production - and all its associated negative impacts on biodiversity. The 2025 ambitions set for each venture help encourage the continuation of positive progress. All ventures are said to aim for at least a 20% reduction in food loss at the relevant stage of the value chain by the target year, with SokoFresh having the most ambitious target: having 50 cold storages around Kenya and achieving a 60% food loss reduction at farm gate.
This page is part of a deep dive into biodiversity and food, where we delve deeper into regenerating nature by redesigning food systems.