How food banks are tackling the growing problem of hunger in the world

This means that one in nine people in the world is hungry. Some of them are people whose lives have been disrupted by a combination of regional conflicts, natural disasters or climate change. There is no easy solution to help everyone, but a basic concept continues to progress: in 2017, the Global FoodBanking Network, which helps food banks in more than 30 countries, distributed about 11% more food in weight than a year earlier, according to a new report from the group titled "The State of World Food Banks", which publicly audits its operations.

GFN members currently serve nearly 8 million people and, last year, recovered and redirected over one billion pounds of food. Their practices work as a model for other groups both in and out of the network. "Our organization is dedicated to supporting food bank organizations around the world, but also to providing the model to communities where it is needed," said Lisa Moon, President and CEO of GFN. "This is a solution that can be applied in many geographical and cultural contexts."

At present, it is estimated that the food bank sector affects about 60 million people in 50 countries around the world. GFN's goal is to get banks to work in new communities and hope that the groups behind them will also open new branches elsewhere. It is still a big challenge in areas like sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Asia, where food is not just distributed unevenly, but also extremely scarce.

As a rule, one-third of all food in the world is wasted. According to GFN calculations, collecting and redistributing only 25% of these leftovers would be enough to stop hunger in the world. The trick is to benefit people: it's all about logistics. Each bank builds relationships with nearby suppliers – mainly farms, manufacturers and grocery stores – whose products could otherwise remain unsold and spoil. He can then provide these resources to various community service agencies. Sometimes banks help to preserve or process food in new ways so that they last longer. In any case, the groups know what to expect and can count on this offer, ensuring that it is also used wisely. Non-profit organizations that receive free food are able to spend more of their own money in other ways, by paying for the ingredients instead.

GFN partners include 800 food banks that redirect otherwise wasted consumer products to a total of 55,000 non-profit groups. Its total efficiency in food distribution has increased at an annual rate of just under 8% since the establishment of the organization in 2012. Generally, their food banks are able to provide eight meals for every dollar invested to increase their impact. "It's something that is community-driven, built by the community and can be adopted and customized to meet the needs of food insecure people and in a very specific place," says Moon.