Covid-19 local food security response: Mobilising partnerships to build community resilience during an acute shock

The document details how the Philippi Economic Development Initiative (PEDI), in partnership with UCook's Food Fund and Ladles of Love, addressed food insecurity in Cape Town during the Covid-19 pandemic. Key outcomes included the distribution of over 3,667 food parcels, the purchase of 7.3 tonnes of produce from small-scale farmers, and the provision of R190,000 in income to 29 farms. The study highlights the effectiveness of community-led distribution models and the role of urban farming in mitigating acute shocks. Additionally, it describes the Western Cape Economic Development Partnership's (EDP) role in coordinating food relief through a government-NGO forum and the Community Kitchens programme, which provided digital vouchers to 100 informal kitchens across Cape Town.

• The partnership between PEDI and the UCook Food Fund supported small-scale farmers by purchasing surplus produce and providing direct income, which protected the livelihoods of 29 farms between March and May 2020.
• Food security efforts led by PEDI distributed 3,667 parcels to families in and around Philippi from March to June 2020, with over 2,800 parcels specifically reaching areas including Philippi, Khayelitsha, Nynaga, Manenberg, Grassy Park, Lavender Hill, and Vrygrond between March and May 2020.
• The UCook Food Fund raised more than 1 million Rand and provided food for 1 million people.
• The response utilized a community-led distribution model that leveraged relational capital from formal and informal leadership, such as street committees and local ward councillors, to identify vulnerable families and ensure team acceptance.
• The Western Cape Economic Development Partnership (EDP) coordinated food relief through a forum of over 140 participants from the Provincial Government, the City of Cape Town, and civil society to share information and co-develop solutions.
• The Community Kitchens programme, a collaboration between Cape Town Together (CTT), the EDP, and the DG Murray Trust, provided weekly digital vouchers to 100 existing informal kitchens across Cape Town.
• The partnerships helped reduce environmental impact by diverting surplus food from the supply chain away from landfills through a partnership with FoodForward SA.

APA

GreenCape (2020). Covid-19 local food security response: Mobilising partnerships to build community resilience during an acute shock. https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/GreenCape_Resilience_Case_Study_Covid_1_7_20-v2-3.pdf

Chicago

GreenCape. Covid-19 local food security response: Mobilising partnerships to build community resilience during an acute shock. 2020. https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/GreenCape_Resilience_Case_Study_Covid_1_7_20-v2-3.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=GreenCape |title=Covid-19 local food security response: Mobilising partnerships to build community resilience during an acute shock |date=2020 |url=https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/GreenCape_Resilience_Case_Study_Covid_1_7_20-v2-3.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{greencape2020covid19, author = {{GreenCape}}, title = {{Covid-19 local food security response: Mobilising partnerships to build community resilience during an acute shock}}, institution = {GreenCape}, year = {2020}, url = {https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/GreenCape_Resilience_Case_Study_Covid_1_7_20-v2-3.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }