NutriSave

NutriSave, an innovative three year program seeking to reduce food loss and waste by redirecting surplus or imperfect fruit and vegetables to wholesalers and retailers serving low income communities in Kenya with dual impact actions to address climate change and improve nutrition; funded by the Gates Foundation and the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office.

Challenge

Globally, FAO estimates that 30–40% of food is wasted due to various supply chain inefficiencies. This waste is not just an economic loss—it represents a critical gap in public health nutrition. In Kenya, the WHO reports that only 2% of the population meets the recommended daily intake of 400g of fruits and vegetables, with an average consumption of just 140g per person. This inadequate intake is linked to poor health outcomes. The Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (2022) attributes unhealthy diet choices and the low consumption of fruits and vegetables to the rise in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular conditions.

A large share of nutrient-rich foods are lost or discarded before they reach consumers—limiting not only dietary diversity but also contributing to environmental degradation. Food waste, especially of perishable produce, accounts for 6–8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, further exacerbating climate change and threatening food systems.

Tackling food loss and waste offers an opportunity to simultaneously improve public health and environmental sustainability. By reducing post-harvest losses and redirecting surplus or imperfect produce, NutriSave aims to enhance the accessibility, affordability, and convenience of fruits and vegetables—particularly in low-income and underserved communities. Such efforts would not only support healthier diets and lower the burden of NCDs but also contribute to climate resilience and more equitable food systems.

Approach

NutriSave aims to identify, validate, design, and rapidly pilot innovative solutions that redirect excess fruits and vegetables to markets serving low-income consumers in Kenya.

The initiative began with formative research, which generated innovative ideas to reduce post-harvest losses of fruits and vegetables. This was followed by a comprehensive market analysis and prioritization process, identifying the most promising solutions for further development.

Using a human-centered design approach, NutriSave carried out prototyping and field testing of selected interventions to assess their desirability, feasibility and viability of interventions and pilot using scientific based approach with iteration to identify scalable and sustainable interventions tailored to the needs of low-income consumers.

By focusing on reducing food loss and enhancing the accessibility, affordability, and convenience of fruits and vegetables, NutriSave aims to foster long-term improvements in public health nutrition and build a more resilient, equitable, and sustainable food system. 

Results

1. Value chain analyses ( Tomato | Mango | African Leafy Vegetables)
2. Ecosystem maps ( Tomato | Mango | African Leafy Vegetables)
3. Understanding Nairobi’s Low Income Consumer Demand For Fruits and Vegetables (Summary | Full Study)
4. Open Access Papers:
   • Challenges and effective strategies for developing and scaling solutions to reduce food loss and waste in Kenya’s fruit and vegetable sector
5. Further reading
   • From Tomato Waste to Paste: Unlocking the Upcycling Potential in Kenya’s Tomato Value Chain
   • Unlocking Nutritious Opportunities:  Reducing Food Loss and Waste to Enhance Nutrition and Food Security in Sub- Saharan Africa
   • Reducing Food Loss and Waste: Dual Impact Actions to Address Climate Change and Improve Nutrition
   • Food for thought: Cutting food loss and waste can generate big wins for nutrition, climate, and the bottom line
   • AGCI Workshop: Reducing Food Loss and Waste – Dual Impact Actions to Address Climate Change and Improve Nutrition