One of the most common topics that arise when discussing world hunger and food insecurity is that there are actually more than enough resources to feed all of the people of the world.

The problem isn’t that there is not enough food for everyone, but rather that there is not an efficient way of distributing it. Or, oftentimes, on-location farms do not have the resources to grow enough food for the people in the area who need it.

Partners in Food Solutions (PFS) is a nonprofit organization that works to connect big food companies (such as General Mills, Cargill, Royal DSM and Bühler) with smaller food processors in the developing world to reduce food insecurity.

These large, experienced companies are able to provide small and growing businesses (SGBs) with information on how to increase productivity, improve quality and create all-around safer and more nutrient-rich food for surrounding populations.

In addition, PFS and its partners also help African food companies to develop business and finance skills and make areas such as distribution and packaging as efficient as possible. By supplying technological resources and training, there can be a consistent and reliable sharing of knowledge to help companies keep growing.

Jeff Dykstra, the CEO of PFS, says that “food insecurity in Africa has been often addressed in a reactionary way, and the opportunity that’s there now is to address it in a proactive way.”

At its heart, the organization just wants to create a more efficient and valuable food chain. One of its strengths is that it recognizes the importance of partnerships.

PFS is funded by corporations and private donors and also supported by a devoted base of volunteers. USAID TechnoServe is a PFS partner involved with implementing programs and strategies on the ground in Africa. So, while PFS manages volunteers and designs programs, Technoserve implements the relationships with SGBs.

By working with TechnoServe, PFS is able to evaluate which food companies are the most in need of help and look to be the most successful. The partnership has grown to assist over 700 SGBs in Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia.

Almost 829,000 local farm holders were impacted through projects that are designed to bring expertise to small African food companies. Kykstra said that the money is generating a return into local economies at double the rate of taxpayer investment.

These partnerships are valuable and effective in the fight against global food insecurity. As President Obama himself said on a July 28 visit to the Faffa Food Share Company in Ethiopia, “Having strong corporate partners alongside local businesses can really make a big difference.”

Faffa Food Share is a client of PFS, and also the primary supplier of food for children over 6 months old in the country.

Although the chain of technologies, innovations and partnerships involved in the PFS organization is complicated, the core idea is simple.

The organization’s goal is to help small farms bring their crops to local marketplaces, making them sustainable contributors to their economies, cutting back on unnecessary food transportation expenses and helping entire countries to become self-sufficient when it comes to food.

All of this can be done by sharing knowledge and resources already available to the first world. Stephen Tanda, the managing board member of Royal DSM, calls PFS “the missing link in connecting the need to address malnutrition on the ground and working with companies in Africa to make these safe and high-quality nutritious foods that benefit the local population.”

Partners in Food Solutions is a great example of a lot of moving parts, of all different sizes and spheres of influence, working together to make a better world.

– Emily Dieckman

Sources: General Mills, Partners in Food Solutions, YouTube 1, YouTube 2
Photo: Flickr