Combating global hunger is central to the United Nations’ efforts to address international inequality and is a priority for many of CAF America’s nonprofit partners worldwide. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal #2 (SDG 2) Zero Hunger aims not only to eradicate hunger, but also to enhance food security, nutrition, and sustainable agriculture. As the world continues to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, international conflicts like the war in Ukraine have exacerbated global inflation, including food prices. Global food price inflation reached a peak of around 14% in January 2023 before decreasing to 6% by the end of the year. These rising prices have intensified food insecurity for the most vulnerable populations.

Argentina is one such country experiencing severe inflation, with a year-over-year rate surpassing 289% in April 2024. That month alone saw an 8.8% inflation increase, escalating poverty, and decreasing access to nutritious food. This situation has led to more edible food being wasted, ending up in dumpsters instead of reaching consumers. The World Food Programme notes that nearly one-third of all food produced globally is lost before consumption.

Reducing food loss is a crucial aspect of SDG 2 and is a top priority for the Argentine organization Food Banks ARGENTINA (FBA). Founded in 2003, FBA is a civil society organization that unites food banks across Argentina to improve organization and collaboration. Their network coordinates food rescue programs nationwide and estimates that nearly 45% of all fruits and vegetables in Argentina are wasted during production and distribution. They also provide development assistance and foster new connections among food banks. CAF America grants have been instrumental in supporting FBA’s efforts to enhance the efficiency, impact, and influence of its 25 member food banks in their communities.

Site Visit

This spring, we visited FBA and their local partners in Mar del Plata, Argentina, witnessing firsthand their collaborative food rescue efforts. During our visit, we observed one of their supported food rescue programs in action.

We visited two producers who supply the Mar del Plata Food Bank. The first was a small, family-owned farm that shares land with seven other families. Their seasonal vegetables include kale, arugula, tomatoes, and more, sold in local markets near La Plata. Unsold or undesirable produce is collected by the food bank. The second producer was a larger farm with mechanized sorting machinery, allowing for easy sorting of vegetables by size, color, and shape. Market-ready produce is sent to regional supermarkets, while produce with minor imperfections (too big, too green, or have “beauty blemishes”) are collected by the food bank.

The excess and otherwise discarded produce is picked up by the food bank and then taken back to their facilities for processing. At the Mar del Plata food bank headquarters, we observed their commercial-grade facility where vegetables are cleaned, chopped, and transformed into various food items like vegetable medleys, patties, and marmalade. These items are distributed to soup kitchens, after-school programs, and other local organizations that support those in need.

FBA provides expertise and connections to ensure the success of these initiatives, coordinating food rescue efforts across regions and other food banks.

Partnership with CAF America

Since 2017, CAF America’s donors have given over $799,500 to FBA. The organization worked with 16 food banks to ensure efficiency, increasing beneficiaries to over 300K people. Eight volunteer teams were trained in management tools across new food bank locations–from that, a 30% increase in rescued kilos of food was achieved, reaching over 12.3M in 2018.

Funds were used for food and hygiene product distribution to those affected by COVID-19 quarantines. Specific services included distributing almost 200k meals and 1.5K kilos of hygiene products. The impact was substantial, with over 70K people assisted, primarily children and youth.

Grants also facilitated the rescue and distribution of nutritious food during economic and health crises, benefiting 14 food banks and serving over 30K people with almost 1.5 million meals. Fruit and vegetable rescue initiatives were significant, distributing over 300K kilos of produce. The programs improved nutrition among vulnerable populations, particularly children, who now consume more fruits and vegetables.

Challenges the FBA’s network of food banks face include high logistical costs and the perishability of fruits and vegetables. Despite these, the food banks adapted by using funds to enhance safety protocols and modify delivery processes. Ongoing efforts aim to rescue and distribute more produce, continuing to reduce food insecurity in Argentina.

While humanitarian aid organizations like the World Food Programme and the Red Cross provide crucial assistance during disasters, local food banks and nonprofits play a vital role in addressing daily, poverty-related hunger. Local nonprofits, along with the larger civil society networks like FBA that support them, are essential investment avenues for the philanthropic community and should not be overlooked. Our visit to FBA demonstrated that to achieve sustainable, long-term impact and a decrease in global hunger, it is crucial to invest in both immediate disaster relief and ongoing local hunger solutions.

Without investment in both parts of the solution, we won’t see sustainable, long-term impact and a decrease in world hunger.