Pandemic makes African countries go online for groceries – The National

Pandemic makes African countries go online for groceries – The National

An estimated 73 million people in Africa are already acutely food insecure, noted Matshidiso Moeti, the World Health Organisation's Regional Director for Africa in a press release last month.. Mobile tech startups are helping people get hold of fresh food during the pandemic by tapping into the rapid rise in smartphone use across Africa.. About one-third of people in sub-Saharan Africa had access to a smartphone in 2018, more than double the number four years earlier, according to the Pew Research Center, a Washington-based think tank.. In Nigeria, entrepreneur Luther Lawoyin realised that bulk purchases could save consumers from overspending on food.. PricePally had about 320 paying users before the virus hit - that number shot up to more than 1,000 after the country's lockdown kicked in on March 30, Mr Lawoyin said.. Just as lockdowns around the world have disrupted food trade across borders, they have also made it difficult for people working abroad to send food to their loved ones back home.. The app, which started in South Africa nearly one year ago, acts like a version of food remittances, allowing people in South Africa to order groceries for delivery in Zimbabwe.. Through Malaicha, her father can get