Magic Wheels — a smart solution to prevent food wastage and hunger
By Varunavi Chauhan
This post was originally published on September 06, 2019.
In the recent Global Hunger Index 2019, India scored 102 out of 117 countries. Here countries were ranked on a 100-point “severity scale”, where zero is the best score (no hunger) and 100 is the worst. Food wastage is an alarming issue all over the world and one that needs immediate action. Recent facts indicate that despite 4.5% growth in GDP and availability of surplus food, 50% of India’s 1.3 billion population is still hungry. Moreover, according to the United Nations Development Programme, up to 40% of food produced in India is wasted. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, close to INR 50,000 crores worth of food produced is wasted every year in the country.
In a country with 195.9 million hungry people, Magic Wheels is an initiative by Feeding India that attains the dual purpose of preventing food waste while addressing the challenge of hunger. Magic Wheels is a 24x7 running food recovery van, which collects food from different locations within the city and routes them to beneficiaries in need of food.
The beauty of Magic Wheels is its ability to provide food security to an entire city zone and is operational across India. Currently, 71 Magic Wheels are spreading happiness in 24 cities and in Delhi NCR alone, 18 vehicles are constantly in motion to distribute food grains and cooked meals in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian preferences. These vans are insulated with gel pads and carry temperature controlled units of food to maintain food quality. This approach certified by FSSAI, carries the vision and adequate measures to tackle nutritional insufficiency.
Recently at an event In Mumbai, 1 ton of excess food was collected by the Feeding India team, from Hyatt Regency, and distributed to families living in a nearby slum.
Feeding India circulates a ‘Hunger Spot Registration form’ to all shelters present within the vicinity to comprehend their food needs and provide for them, where possible. Different ‘spots’ can fill out the details mentioned in the form and once they have partnered with Feeding India, the meals supplied through the Magic Wheels program addresses those needs. The team at Feeding India along with their volunteers makes their best efforts to offer good quality and hygienic food to people in need.
In Delhi, Pinky, Gunjan, and Hemlata are some of the drivers of these Magic Wheels vans. They are dedicated women, who wanted to set an example for more women of similar background to take up vocational work and feel empowered — while empowering others and bring smiles on hundreds of faces every day.
