Towards Zero Food Waste in Victoria: A Smart Solution

The Challenge: Reducing Food Waste and Supporting the Community

Victoria faces a growing food waste crisis, impacting farmers, retailers, and those in need. Millions of tonnes of food are lost due to overproduction, incorrect demand forecasting, high operational costs, and inefficient food distribution. To address these challenges, we propose an integrated digital solution that connects farmers, retailers, and food banks to ensure food is utilized efficiently and sustainably.

The Solution: A Dynamic Food Waste Management Dashboard

Our mission is to create a real-time digital platform that provides end-to-end tracking of food production, storage levels, and distribution. This system will bridge the gap between food producers, sellers, and charities to minimize waste and maximize food utilization.

How It Works

1. 1. Farmers & Storage Data: The dashboard allows farmers to update their crop production, storage levels, and expiry dates in real-time. This helps predict surpluses and optimize distribution.
   2. Retailers & Expiring Stock Alerts: Retailers can log inventory that is nearing expiration, allowing food banks to access it before it goes to waste.
   3. Food Banks & Distribution Networks: A smart logistics system schedules food collection vehicles to pick up surplus food from farms and retailers, ensuring it reaches those in need on time.
   4. Cost & Resource Management: The dashboard helps track costs associated with food waste reduction, including transportation, storage, and distribution.

Implementation Strategy & Costs

To build and operate this solution, we focus on the following key areas:

A) Website & Data Collection

• • • • Develop an interactive website and database for real-time tracking.
      • Implement a customer service team to contact farmers and gather food storage updates daily.

B) Online Server & Database Management

• • • • Set up a cloud-based server to store food inventory, demand forecasts, and transportation schedules.
      • Enable automated alerts for food expiring soon.

C) Truck Scheduling & Food Distribution

• • • • Optimize logistics for food collection and delivery using AI-driven scheduling.
      • Ensure efficient routing for food banks to reach those in need with minimal delays.

Where We Are Now & The Path Forward

Currently, food waste in Victoria remains a significant issue, with millions of tonnes discarded annually. However, by implementing this dynamic solution, we can move towards a Zero Food Waste Victoria by:

• • • Encouraging collaboration between farmers, retailers, and food banks.
    • Leveraging technology to streamline food distribution.
    • Reducing unnecessary financial losses while feeding those in need.

Our Commitment to Farmers, Retailers & The Needy

Our goal is simple: Ensure that no hard-earned food produced by Victorian farmers goes to waste. By supporting farmers, assisting retailers, and feeding the real needy, we aim to create a sustainable and waste-free food system in Victoria. Join us in this mission to make a difference!