Partnering With the Global FoodBanking Network To Address Food Insecurity in Southeast Asia

Over the past three years, the Nutrition for Zero Hunger initiative (NFZH) has made considerable progress in its efforts to nourish communities and help end hunger worldwide. But for a number of reasons, the crisis continues to grow. Access to healthy food, economic downturn, population growth, and climate change are some of the factors that contribute to malnutrition and food insecurity around the world.

Hunger is a complex problem that requires a collective effort where policymakers, civil society, and the private sector come together. We know that we can’t solve this global problem alone. That’s why we’re proud to partner with The Global FoodBanking Network (GFN), to provide critical resources and expertise to communities most in need. GFN supports community-driven solutions to alleviate hunger in nearly 50 countries.

What Does The Global FoodBanking Network Do?

The Global FoodBanking Network accelerates the development of food banks and demonstrates how to run them with local leaders. GFN collaboratively builds strategy with food bank leaders and connects those leaders with peers in other countries to increase food distribution and create more efficient and resilient food systems. GFN also works with newer food banks in their journey to alleviate hunger and reduce food waste through its Food Bank Incubator Program. These combined efforts create sustainable solutions that unite and strengthen food banks and positively impact communities by empowering them to defeat hunger and improve lives.

With funding from the Herbalife Nutrition Foundation, we are excited to invest $300,000 in GFN over the next two years to address these issues in regions with the most urgent needs, specifically the Food Bank Incubator Program in Southeast Asia.

Food Insecurity Challenges in Southeast Asia

Why Asia? More than half of all undernourished people live in Asia, according to the World Health Organization. Climate changes in the region have severely impacted crop production and put pressure on the food system, making it a critical time to develop a network of local food banks to support these communities.

This grant and partnership will allow us to reach more people in Southeast Asia over the next two years. It will support people in Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines with sustainable food practices, a network of local organizations, and an expansion of food banks. It will also strengthen their ability to respond to the hunger crisis in the years to come.

How Food Bank Incubator Programs Address Hunger

The Food Bank Incubator Program sets up newer food banks for success by offering leaders technical support, coaching and training. The GFN team of experts has more than 60 years of experience in food bank management and expansion, including more than 14 years in the field globally. Their partnership, customized technical assistance, and operational guidance empower leaders to focus on collecting and distributing food to people facing hunger.

The program also prioritizes ways to reduce food loss and waste by recovering and distributing safe, wholesome, surplus food. It encourages producers and suppliers to increase donations of products to ensure food doesn’t unnecessarily go to waste. This infrastructure makes for a more resilient food bank model that nourishes healthier communities and a healthier planet.

“Our partnership with Herbalife Nutrition is built on a shared understanding of the severity of the global hunger crisis and a common purpose – to nourish our communities and achieve Zero Hunger,” said Lisa Moon, The Global FoodBanking Network president and CEO. “With the support from the Nutrition for Zero Hunger initiative, we can ensure we have the capabilities, food, staff and equipment we need to continue supporting and expanding the Network that serves so many.”

As a global leader in nutrition, Herbalife Nutrition is committed to having a hand in ending world hunger. Our NFZH initiative allows us to provide good nutrition, education, and empowerment to global communities on a local level. Through this new partnership with GFN, we will be able to make even more positive impacts in these communities and provide an inclusive and sustainable approach to creating a healthier future.

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