The Capricorn Foundation Food Waste Challenge received 101 submissions in the categories of collection, distribution and storage, with the winning solution set to be announced on 17 October 2022.
The initiative is in support of the international community’s World Food Day celebration.
Rikus Grobler, Capricorn Group’s Manager of Innovation and Food Waste Challenge project coordinator, stated in a media statement on Thursday that entries will be judged in two stages, first by an internal panel of judges, who will score the submissions against the set criteria and then by an external judging panel, who will judge the top ten entries to determine the winner.
He stated that it was fascinating to see how varied people’s creativity can be.
“We received submissions involving technical solutions, recycling of food waste to make fertiliser or animal feed, and some that discussed renewable energy.
The Capricorn Foundation’s Executive Officer, Marlize Horn, emphasised that the competition’s goal was not only to find new opportunities or solutions to address food waste in Namibia, but also to raise awareness about the issue.
“Addressing such a complex national issue begins with raising awareness, followed by collaborative problem-solving thinking. With the wide interest that we have received through submissions from Noordoewer and Katima Mulilo to Kenya and Portugal, we are pleased that the challenge could spark a conversation and ideas around potential solutions,” she added.