Sarajevo food bank
Šifra prijedloga: Hrana-nije-Otpad-2019-11-79
Food bank and associated mobile app to help reduce food waste.
Sarajevo Food bank
Key problem:
Food waste is quickly becoming a priority global issue. While there are millions of families and children starving, others are living with an over-abundance of food and many others carelessly just throw their excess food away. Most of us have wasted food in one way or another, but the real food losses and waste matter is bigger than just consumer food waste. From farming fields and storage places, through transportation, processing, market places, down to consumption places such as homes, schools, restaurants and workplaces, more than half of all food produced globally go to waste.
Solution hypothesis:
If we design a food bank in an easily accessible spot in the down town area of the city and an associated mobile app that would remind the users to donate their food surplus, more people would be inclined to donate and track their consumption.
If we offer a mobile app that will help users shop smart and realistically, more people will practice discipline, as well as plan their meals and shopping carts ahead, thus reducing the waste.
If we educate the users, less food will go to waste due to improper storage. Many people are unsure how to properly store fruits and vegetables, which can lead to premature ripening and eventually, rotten produce.
Overeating is a problem for many people, if the user has insight in their average portion size, they would save a significant amount of otherwise wasted food.
The food bank is a great way to recycle unused but edible food and reduce the waste. All the distributed food is fit to eat and is put to good use by the recipients.
The food bank would also encourage the participation of the entire community to solve the issue of food waste and lack of food for the more vulnerable population groups. The food bank helps improve food security and sustainability of the food system by building skills and motivating people to work together for a change.
The food bank is an effective way to provide emergency food for people in our communities because they can respond to emergency needs faster than the government social safety net can.
The food bank can store and distribute the food to other charity organizations, schools and community groups in need.
By opening a small food distribution center, customers would be offered a dignified, welcoming and even fun grocery shopping.
Prototype:
Mockups of the future mobile app which will allow users to scan and log their groceries while shopping, look for donation spots for their unused food, and have insights of their average consumption.
Mockup 1: The user can overview the main 3 options of the app, and choose to either donate the food, volunteer in the food bank or track their usage.
Mockup 2: Under the donation tab, the user can look at their location map and find nearby donation spots, or log their donation for a future pickup by a volunteer.
Mockup 3: The user can scan the bar code on the food package, or log the info and the app will remind them of the expiry date and average amount they need. The user can also see their food insights and plan ahead of their shopping trips.
Mockup 4: Interior design proposal of a food distribution centre for the food bank.
Lessons learned:
The initial research shows that Sarajevo is ready for a food bank, since there is many people who would use it recipients and donators.
People have indicated in order to use the associated mobile app, it would have to be free. Many people want to donate the food but don't know what is acceptable or where to donate directly.
Transparency would have to be a major focus of the food bank and its distributors.
Sustainability and the indicative resources:
Food bank would be a completely non-profit organisation and ran by volunteers. It would operate on the “front line” model, giving out the food directly to the hungry.
Recurring costs would be the storage maintenance , lease and utilities.