Analysis: Dumpster diving is just tip of waste pile

THE images of people scavenging food from dumpsters reflects the reality faced by many in SA who are struggling to put food on the table.

THE images of people scavenging food from dumpsters reflects the reality faced by many in SA who are struggling to put food on the table.

Despite the risks associated with consuming perishable food that has been discarded in bins, the financial pressures many people are facing leave them no other alternative.

This risky practice not only highlights that good food is being wasted but also that there is a significant issue of food insecurity in SA.

Every month, more than 102,000 South Australians require food assistance from charities to survive — a third of them children.

As the largest food-rescue and food-relief organisation in SA, Foodbank provides more than three million kilograms of food to 550 charities and individuals each year.

Yet we know another two million is still required to meet demand. This can’t be fulfilled simply by eliminating supermarket waste — it requires a co-ordinated and structured system right along the food-supply chain, from farms through to retailers.

The challenge to achieve this is not the access to surplus food or the willingness of suppliers to donate it.

Rather, it is limited by the logistics, storage and distribution resources available to the charity sector to collect, store and redirect food from hundreds of farms, food manufacturers, more than 500 supermarkets and countless shops and then get it to the families who need it most, including those in regional and remote areas, all the while ensuring the food is safe to eat.

It is not an insurmountable challenge but will require significant change and investment of time and funds to achieve.

■ Greg Pattinson is CEO of Foodbank SA