NutriSave

NutriSave, funded by the Gates Foundation and the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), is an innovative three-year program with an equal dual objective of reducing food loss and waste and increasing access to nutritious fruits and vegetables to low-income communities in Kenya.

Challenge

Globally, 30–40% of all food is lost or wasted due to supply chain inefficiencies, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)—a massive loss of resources and a missed opportunity to advance nutrition and food security. In Kenya, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports that only 2% of the population meets the recommended daily intake of 400g of fruits and vegetables, with an average intake of just 140g per person. This dietary gap is closely linked to the rising burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) as highlighted in the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (2022).

Food waste also contributes significantly to environmental harm—accounting for 6–8% of global greenhouse gas emissions,  further accelerating climate change and undermining food system resilience.NutriSave directly addresses this dual challenge by reducing food loss and waste redirecting surplus or imperfect produce to low-income and underserved communities. The program enhances access to nutritious foods, promotes healthier diets, and contributes to climate resilience—building a more equitable and sustainable food system for all.

Our Approach

NutriSave employed a phased, evidence-driven approach to identify and scale innovative solutions that reduce food loss and waste and increase access to fruits and vegetables for low-income communities in Kenya. Using formative research to uncover key drivers of food loss and generate creative, context-specific ideas for intervention, we then applied  comprehensive market analysis,  solution prioritization, human-centered design (HCD) methodology, incorporating prototyping, field testing, and iterative refinement to assess the desirability, feasibility, and viability of selected interventions. 

By focusing on innovations that improve the accessibility, affordability, and convenience of fruits and vegetables, NutriSave is driving toward lasting improvements in nutrition, while strengthening climate resilience and promoting a more equitable 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