Sara Ekondo wins N$100 000 cash prize
Capricorn Foundation announces Food Waste Challenge winning solution
The 2022 Capricorn Foundation Food Waste Challenge's overall winner and recipient of the N$100 000 cash prize was this week announced, with Sara Ekondo of the Oshakati-based Awana Foods walking away with the top honour.
The N$100 000 prize was awarded to Sara Ekondo of Awana Foods in Oshakati for the idea of “lengthening the shelf-life of produce and reducing waste through value addition and preservation”. Awana Foods is a local company located in Oshakati. Its solution stems from sourcing excess and B-grade produce from farmers to convert it into different products with the aim of prolonging shelf life while still retaining their nutritional value, by making products such as chutney and concentrate syrup.
The Capricorn Foundation Food Waste Challenge was introduced in July and invited the general public to come up with creative and long-lasting solutions to reduce food waste in Namibia and so advance food security. The gathering, distribution and storage of food and food products categories received a total of 101 entries by the contest's deadline of 12 August, making it a resounding success.
“The Capricorn Foundation wishes to congratulate Sara and hopes that the prize money will enable her to extend her business,” Marlize Horn, Capricorn Foundation executive officer, said. She encouraged Namibians to take steps to significantly reduce food waste and to contribute to enhancing food security in Namibia.
Solutions to reduce food waste
The Capricorn Foundation remains committed to be a ‘connector of positive change’, and the Food Waste Challenge has shown what it means by that phrase, by providing a platform for the public to share their innovative ideas that can bring about sustainable positive change.
According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP, 2021), consumer food waste remains a global challenge. An estimated 17% of total global food production is wasted (11% in households, 5% in the food service sector and 2% in retail). An audit conducted by the City of Windhoek between 16 and 20 November 2020 recorded a total of 19 tonnes of waste, with organic food products/leftovers and organic garden refuse making up the biggest proportion with 16% and 13% respectively.
“It is based on this background that the Capricorn Foundation launched this innovative initiative to seek new possibilities in addressing the basic need of food security for the most vulnerable people in Namibia and, in the same vein, to positively impact society to improve the quality of life,” Rikus Grobler, manager of innovation at Capricorn Group and Food Waste Challenge project coordinator, said.
Pieter Badenhorst, a Capricorn Group employee, entered his innovative proposal and placed 10th overall, despite the terms and conditions of the challenge prohibiting employees of Capricorn Group and its subsidiaries from winning the N$100 000 prize money. The Capricorn Foundation honoured Badenhorst with a N$10 000 cash prize for his efforts, recognising him as a genuine ‘connector of positive change’.
Horn said apart from the winning solution and the many other innovative ideas that were submitted, the Capricorn Foundation Food Waste Challenge provided a platform to create awareness on the issue of food waste.
The top 10 solutions were by:
1. Awana Foods (Sara Ekondo)
2. Waste Not Want Not (Siobhan Dammert, Alna Dall, Leigh Adams, Shareen Thude)
3. EBIKES4AFRICA (Marita Walther, Bernhard Walther)
4. ChariTree (Richard Hoff, Tiree Ngaujake, Hileni Shipanga, Phrezia Sinalumbu)
5. NamLands (Louis Wessels, Philip Wessels, Dirk Basson, Ernesto Ekandjo)
6. Namibian Farmers Online (Mia Koster, Daniël Swart, Magda Cooper)
7. Fudlink Agri-Tech CC (Twamanguruka Nghidinwa, Francois-Jacques Malan, Lucas Nekare, Daniel Mulongeni)
8. Impact Tank
9. The Freeze Project (Sybrand de Waal)
10. Food for Thought (Pieter Badenhorst, Sonnett Badenhorst)