EatLOCAL: a platform that connects local farmers, consumers, municipalities and non-governmental organisations

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges to public health and supply chain systems around the globe. Local farmers businesses were impacted by the lockdowns and they still face difficulties in commercializing their production while requests for social, economic and food support pile up at municipalities and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Meanwhile, working from home, constraints to workout, business and social life, are impacting citizens’ work-life balance, eating habits and impacting populations’ physical and mental health globally. EatLOCAL proposes to address this issue by providing a service that is supported in an innovative digital platform that strengthens connections between suppliers, consumers, municipalities and NGOs working on food privation issues. Besides maximizing the opportunities for business to local farmers, this platform also creates a facilitated channel that promotes de access to fresh food by citizens and minimizes the social impact of the pandemic in most vulnerable groups.