OneFarm Share Qorus Banking Innovation Awards 2021 - Winner

OneFarm Share is a digital food relief platform, established in response to the food and job security crises brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. It forms part of the OneFarm platform, a digital business-to-business platform to connect and provide services across the agricultural ecosystem through Lend, Protect, Grow, Trade and Share services. OneFarm Share’s solution has enabled both commercial and emerging famers to sell their produce through alternative channels, ensuring that they can continue to maintain operational income during these challenging times. The produce is then used to feed those who are without sufficient food owing to the pandemic. Since 9 November 2020, 1000 tonnes (1 000 000kg) of produce has been delivered to accredited beneficiary organisations, providing approximately 4 million meals to over 350 000 people across all South African provinces. The main aim of the project is to combat food shortages in rural areas as a result of the pandemic. However Standard Bank have also identified the following objectives of the project: • Increase food supply to certified recipients • Procure food at significantly less than market prices • Reduce high levels of food waste • Improve coordination in relief food distribution • Increase transparency and confidence in the donor system • Increase market accessibility for local, emerging and commercial farmers In 2021, given the ongoing impact of Covid-19 in South Africa, the above need for food relief and providing farmers with a mechanism to reduce food waste remained high. OneFarm Share has continued to provide both commercial and emerging farmers with an alternative market for their produce. For commercial farmers, OneFarm Share provides a mechanism to donate, or sell at a reduced price, their non-premium or excess produce. For emerging farmers, it is a viable way to enter a digital marketplace and, in many cases, for the first time, have access to a large, consistent buyer.