BridgingTheGaps calls on innovators to use lockdown to fix SA’s broken food system

Oribi Village, the Southern Africa Food Labs and the Wakanda Food Incubator have joined forces in the #BridgingTheGaps challenge, to address and reshape how South Africans produce, distribute, process, and consume food.

“In this 21-day challenge we are calling all innovators and food sector actors to work together. We will do so remotely, finding disruptive ways to eradicate risks of accelerated food insecurity, particularly in the context of the Covid-19 crisis,” says Ellen Fischat, managing director of Oribi Village said in a statement on Monday (30 March).

The challenge is made up of weekly content brainstorm sessions between participants and partners, Fischat adds.

The #BridgingTheGaps challenge aims address and reshape how South Africans produce, distribute, process, and consume food

“In the first week, the Southern Africa Food Labs will provide insights into the current state of South African food system, and in the second week, Oribi Village will discuss essential social business strategy shifts related to the covid-19 context,” she says, noting these sessions will happen virtually.

During the third week, the Wakanda Food Accelerator will provide all participants with practical advice on
how to define, develop, implement and scale their proposed solutions.

The submissions will subsequently be evaluated and assessed on social impact, feasibility, viability, scalability, sustainability and creativity.

Two winning ideas will each take home six months ’worth of paid-for incubator and accelerator support, to be used to develop and implement their solution, as well as six months of co-working space in Cape Town or Johannesburg.

In addition, the two winners will be allowed to pitch their solution to local and international investors in November and attend the Design Thinking Workshop, which revolves around food security innovation.

Featured image: Marzena7 via Pixabay