Food For Africa

In partnership with our friends at EWEDIUY, a non-governmental organization based in Abuja, Nigeria,

we are 100% committed in responding to the current food crisis that plague under-served communities in the United States, Africa and around the world.

 

A recent August 2021 survey shows that a record 177,185 deaths have been recorded so far against Covid in Africa, since the disease was diagnosed. Even before the pandemic, staggering reports have shown that approximately 426 children die from hunger in Africa each day.  According to Jay Naidoo, chairman of Global Alliance, 67,000 children are at risk of starving to death in Africa. The New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) in a recent report state that 12 people die of hunger in Africa every minute, with an estimation of 5 million deaths yearly.

 

Moreover, the United States of America wastes 30-40 percent of food supply, reported by the USDA. This estimate, based on estimates of 31 percent food loss at the retail and consumer levels, corresponded to approximately 133 billion pounds and $161 billion worth of food in 2010.  However, nearly 39.5 million people or 12.8% of the U.S. population were living in low-income and low access areas to food, according to the USDA's most recent food access research report, published in 2017.  Within this group, researchers estimated that 19 million people or 6.2% of the nation's total population had limited access to supermarkets or grocery stores. These low access areas are often referred to as Food Deserts.

 

Why do Food Deserts Exist?

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Although there is no single reason contributing to Food Deserts, studies have shown that there are contributing factors to this food crisis. Among them are, but not limited to:

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• Transportation challenges: Convenience food such as small corner stores, convenience markets and fast-food vendors, with a limited supply of fresh and healthy food selections that residents can choose from.

• Alleged risky investments: Some investors believe that opening a supermarket or grocery store chains are an investment risk due to the purchasing power of customers in low-income communities, including those families enrolled in their state’s supplemental nutrition assistance programs.  At the same time, the threat of higher crime rates, whether true or perceived, could raise a business's insurance fees and security costs.

• Income inequity: Buying healthy food costs more.  When researchers from Brown University and Harvard University studied diet patterns and costs, they found that the healthiest diets -- meals with a higher proportion of vegetables, fruits, fish and nuts, costs on average $1.50 more than diets rich in processed foods, meats, and refined grains.  For families living paycheck to paycheck, the higher cost of purchasing healthy food could make it inaccessible even when it's readily available.

 

Effects of the Covid Pandemic:

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Like Africa and other nations, the Covid pandemic has had its effects on U. S. families.  As the disease spread across the nation, businesses closed their doors or reduced their operating hours.  Also, public transportation implemented travel restrictions and schedule changes; these factors caused residents to face additional hurdles in feeding their families.  There were economic impacts as well. Nearly 10% of parents with young children ranging from ages five and under, reported having insufficient food for their families and limited funds to buy more, according to a fall 2020 food insecurity update from Brookings.

 

These alarming figures should cause a global concern and should be considered an absolute emergency.

 

To help combat hunger, U-CAP will be launching a crowdfunding campaign in early March 2022. Our target goal is to raise $37 million for a pilot program in Nigeria. With a population of over 200 million people.  We plan to utilize 20% of funds raised to also implement food programs in the U.S.