At FoodForward SA (FFSA), we believe that data collection and evidence-based research are powerful tools for driving change and innovation. Over the past few years, we have been privileged to work with several prestigious institutions and organisations that have led to meaningful research insights, innovative solutions, and measurable impact.
Recently, we have deepened two dynamic research partnerships, with the Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit (SALDRU) at the University of Cape Town, and with Stellenbosch University (SU) in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Together, these tertiary collaborations are helping us better understand food insecurity, improve our operational efficiency, and shape evidence-based solutions that influence our strategic direction into the future.
Partnering with SALDRU: Mapping Household Coping Strategies and Voices of Lived Experience
Our research work with SALDRU is providing a data-driven lens into hunger and food insecurity across South Africa. The research will focus on:
- Mapping a Decade of Hunger
Using multiple national datasets, including the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES), SALDRU will provide a comprehensive analysis of food insecurity trends between 2014 and 2023. This report will capture the changing landscape of hunger before, during, and after COVID-19. - Beneficiary Organisation (BO) Survey Tool
We co-designed a custom survey for beneficiaries who frequently use the services at community kitchens supported by FFSA, to glean what the lived experiences of the poor are. These insights will be invaluable as we plan ahead. - Qualitative Focus Groups
SALDRU will conduct a focus group discussion to hear first-hand from people who are food insecure, how they are coping amid food insecurity.
Why it matters: These insights position FFSA to advocate more effectively, target resources better, and ensure that community voices drive our interventions.
Research with Stellenbosch University & MIT: Data Meets Action
Our partnership with SU and MIT is transforming how we measure, analyse, and optimise our operations and impact. Here’s an overview:
- Impact Measurement
A Social Return on Investment (SROI) impact study for early childhood development centres is underway, alongside the rollout of real-time Power BI dashboards to visualise non-financial impact metrics. - Supply Chain Optimisation
Using advanced agent-based modelling, SU are close to finalising simulations to make food flows from donor suppliers to beneficiary organisations more efficient and sustainable. - Cost & Carbon Footprint Analysis
By benchmarking costs and emissions across FFSA’s warehouses and transport network, SU identified opportunities to reduce our environmental impact. A feasibility study has also explored carbon credits as a potential new revenue stream. - Advanced Food Security Analytics
Development is underway on a multidimensional food security index, which will guide strategic decisions by integrating nutrition, logistics, and accessibility data.
Why it matters: These innovations allow us to operate smarter, reduce our carbon footprint, reduce costs, and explore new funding pathways, all while advancing South Africa’s food security agenda.
For our food and financial donors who enable the work that we do, your investment in FoodForward SA is powering:
- Evidence-based advocacy that drives systemic change.
- Smarter, data-driven operations for greater reach and efficiency.
- Innovative pathways to sustainability, such as carbon credits and impact measurement tools.
- Contributions to the national and global evidence base on hunger and food security.