Join The Thought For Food Challenge For Food and Agriculture Startups And Ideas

The Thought For Food Challenge (#TFF Challenge) is an annual global competition that seeks innovative and socially responsible food and agricultural breakthroughs for sustainable food.  The TFF Challenge is open to participants from around the world. The TFF Challenge closing date is on the 20th of January 2020 for participants to pitch their ideas.

The competition cites winners will get travel, perks and cash prizes, as well as access to the TFF Digital Labs. The TFF Digital Labs consist of an online platform that enables collaboration and integration of solutions, and access to 50 mentors. The cash prize amount has not been disclosed.

What Are The Judging Criteria?

Do you have an original & impactful idea to solve for global food security?

The TFF Challenge revolves around the need for socially responsible food sustainability and looks to innovate along the food value chain—from production to distribution through to consumption and waste. In evaluating the participants, the judges are looking for:

• Innovative Solutions that can show fresh technology or business models.
• Implementation and Scalability of food security goals.
• Unique, game-changing ideas.
• Locally-relevant solutions

Do You Need A Team To Join The Challenge?

If you have a great idea or technology but not a team, no problem. According to their Facebook page, you can still enter as an individual, and they will help you find the perfect teammates for your project.

However, to be a finalist, you need to have a minimum of three team members.

What Is Food Sustainability?

The main goal of food sustainability is to have enough food to sustain the world population. The US Congress, 1990 defined food sustainability as to:

• provide human food and fiber needs;

• enhance environmental quality and the natural resource base upon which the agricultural economy depends;

• make the most efficient use of nonrenewable resources and on-farm resources and integrate, where appropriate, natural biological cycles and controls;

• sustain the economic viability of farm operations; and

• enhance the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole.

The problems of today are poverty which leads to malnutrition and starvation on the one hand, and on the other, the rising obesity in wealthier countries. For the last 50 years, more people globally are consuming more animal protein. In the US, 30 percent of food produced goes to waste. Hence, human choice is another factor that impacts food sustainability.

Countries such as Malaysia have started to look for innovative solutions to food sustainability and food security issues recently.  Startups and individuals have also used innovation in agriculture and the food supply chain.

Innovative Ideas For Food Sustainability From Last Year’s Finalists

Here are two finalists from the previous years’ participants:

Interested to solve the global or just your local food issues? Be sure to join the competition, and pitch in your idea before the closing date at the TFF Challenge!

Farah I, Writer & Researcher

Farah Ishak is a Content Writer at Halalop. She grew up in the United Kingdom where she obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Management. Later, she completed her MBA and held senior-level positions in Malaysian based MNC. She left the corporate world to be with her young kids. She is passionate about issues concerning Muslim women, Startups and Muslim businesses in general.