There seems to be an app for everything and now there is an app to help eradicate hunger in Nigeria.
Chowberry is an app which is helping to feed Nigerians and reduce the quantity of food waste in Nigeria.
The Chowberry app was invented by Oscar Ekponimo who is a Nigerian software developer inspired by his experiences of being a child battling with hunger. The app connects supermarkets to NGOs and low-income earners, allowing them to buy food that's about to expire at a discount.
Ekponimo says the response to the project has been encouraging and he's been able to see first hand how it's transforming lives. The Chowberry app is currently functional in Lagos and Abuja.
How does the Chowberry app work?
The first step in the operations of the app is involving local grocery stores. As the store’s food products near their expiration dates, the stores begin reducing the food prices each day and are indicated on the app. All items sold are products which previously would have been reduced to food waste if they failed to be bought.
The app alerts Nigerians and food organizations about the lowered food prices. With the partnership with Project FoodAccess, the organization specifically matches the food with families they register need it the most. These include families with young mothers and female breadwinners.
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What impact has it had on alleviating the hunger problem?
Chowberry has aided helping to solve the growing problem of hunger in Nigeria which also generally affects the continent of Africa.
According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, 223 million people in sub-Saharan Africa were hungry or malnourished from 2014 to 2016. According to the World Food Programme, Nigeria is a 'food deficit' country, meaning that it cannot provide enough food for its population. Widespread poverty, inflation, and insecurity have been cited as contributing factors to Nigeria's hunger problem.
The app has had a significant impact on different areas in Nigeria. The three-month trial run has fed 200 families and 150 orphans. Many Nigerians have requested that the program expand to more communities.
Ekponimo had explained that "We went from about 1,500 daily visits to double that. There have been requests and demand, people tell me we really want this, we're relying on what you guys are doing because things are expensive."
Chowberry also has assisted the 20 participating grocery stores. Food that would have been thrown out before now gets sold to families in need at a profit to the store. The helpful software has gained international recognition as well, winning the Rolex Award of Enterprise in 2016.