Today I am joined by social impact pioneers Antoinette Marie, Director of Heifer Labs, and Sander de Jong who has been paving the way towards a more just food system as the Managing Director of Fairfood.
Antoinette is a trailblazer in digital transformation and humanitarian development, whilst Sander is a serial social entrepreneur with a passion for food. In this episode, we delve into the heart of social entrepreneurship and its pivotal role in reshaping global food systems.
Sander shares how he came to create of the Dutch Weed Burger—a venture that began in the early 2010s and continues to redefine the plant-based food market with its innovative use of seaweed. As we explore his journey, we’ll also delve into the broader implications of such entrepreneurial ventures on global food systems. Sander exemplifies how personal backgrounds, familial entrepreneurship, and a deep-seated desire for change can drive someone to reinvent their career path for the greater good. At the same time Sander uncovers the challenges and opportunities technology provides for supply chain transparency and to deepen societal impact.
This is where Antoinette comes in – Antoinette is championing technology-driven solutions to empower smallholder farmers. With a focus on bridging the digital divide and driving sustainable practices across agricultural supply chains. With the recently released white paper from Heifer International and Fairfood International outlining a strategy to help suppliers and companies ensure farmers in commodity supply chains receive sustainable, living incomes. The link to the paper is below and expect to find details of two open-source methodologies for determining actual production costs and efficiency for more transparent pricing and sustainability.
One such methodology is blockchain. Together Antoinette and Sander share their insights on the developments in blockchain to enhance transparency and traceability from farm to fork. The vision is to shed light for consumers on the origins of their food, and support farmers in achieving a living income, thereby fostering a fair and sustainable agricultural sector.
Join us as Antoinette and Sander provide insights into the challenges and opportunities that come with integrating cutting-edge technologies in the fight against rural poverty. Whether you are an aspiring social entrepreneur, a professional in the tech industry, or simply someone passionate about making a difference, this episode is packed with valuable lessons and inspiring stories.
Links:
The Dutch Weed burger: https://dutchweedburger.com/en/
Fairfood: https://fairfood.org/en/
Heifer: White Paper: Commodity Living Income Strategy: A Data-Forward Living Income Strategy for Commodity Supply Chains: https://www.heifer.org/about-us/media-center/press-releases/heifer-international-and-fairfood-international-release-commodity-living-income-strategy-white-paper.html
Fruitpunch AI challenge: https://www.fruitpunch.ai/challenges
Sander de Jong’s Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanderdejong/
Antoinette Marie’s Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amarie/
Commodity Living Income Strategy White Paper: https://media.heifer.org/About_Us/press-resources/HPI-Commodity_Living-Income_Strategy_White_Paper.pdf
Commodity Living Income Strategy FAQ: https://media.heifer.org/About_Us/press-resources/HPI-White_Paper_FAQ.pdf
Heifer Labs AI Challenge for Women Farmers 1: https://www.heifer.org/about-us/media-center/press-releases/heifer-international-and-fruitpunch-ai-launch-artificial-intelligence-challenge-in-nepal-to-improve-data-access-for-women-farmers.html
Heifer Labs AI Challenge for Women Farmers 2: https://www.heifer.org/about-us/media-center/press-releases/heifer-international-and-fruitpunch-ai-launch-next-phase-of-artificial-intelligence-challenge-to-improve-data-access-for-women-farmers.html
On blockchain traceability: https://fairfood.org/en/solutions-for-a-fair-supply-chain/blockchain-tool-trace/
White paper press release: https://fairfood.org/en/resources/heifer-and-fairfood-release-commodity-living-income-strategy-white-paper/
On CSDDD/EUDR challenges and the power of data: https://fairfood.org/en/resources/navigating-due-diligence-challenges-the-power-of-data/
On monetizing the value of transparency: https://fairfood.org/en/resources/report-a-collaborative-approach-to-monetising-the-value-of-supply-chain-transparency/
Tech Target (July 2024). A timeline and history of blockchain technology:
https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/feature/A-timeline-and-history-of-blockchain-technology
