Combra Food: Logistics for food security

The logistics for the distribution of products is an essential element to guarantee access to food, one of the four principles for food security. The Milan Urban Food Policy Pact recognizes the importance of cities action to ensure that the supply and distribution of food is sustainable, safe, fair, continuous, and efficient.[1]

The Milan Pact proposes actions to strengthen food control systems that promote seasonal and local food consumption. To achieve this, it is necessary to enhance the urban-rural system through purchasing policies to facilitate short food supply chains to support municipal public markets, as well as improve transport and logistics.

Combra was selected as one of the winner initiatives of the Salvador Resilient Challenge for its contribution to Salvador’s food chain. This topic is one of the three main challenges of the city, identified through a participatory process with the private sector.

Combra is a digital platform that integrates marketplace, e-commerce and logistics management to include the small producers in the logistics chain to improve the selling of their products in the local restaurants. This initiative promotes the economic growth of local producers and creates jobs in the agricultural and logistics sectors, promoting the growth of local economy.

The main assets of Combra Food for the Impact Challenge are:

– Optimization of the food logistics chain by improving distribution and routes.

– Foster economic growth opportunities for local small farmers

– Touristic growth of green and local consumption of Salvador’s restaurants.

– Bridging the digital gap in Salvador through training to farmers to use the platform.

Combra contributes to Salvador’s resilience by mitigating chronic stresses such as food shortages and social inequality. This initiative is a direct contribution to the Resilience Strategy of Salvador in its axis 3 “diversified and inclusive economy” since it promotes local consumption, with optimal use resources to reduce waste.

Logistics for food distribution is essential but it must be done minimizing any negative environmental impact. Combra promotes sustainability trough local consumption and improved supplies distribution and contributes to Axis 5 of the Strategy “Sustainable urban transformation”.

Combra is a growing initiative that can be strengthened through links with top restaurants and chain establishments.

Food security is a relevant issue for cities worldwide, so this business model can be replicated to strengthen urban food resilience.