Gender-Sensitive Online Retail of Foods

Food insecurity is an increasingly big problem related to poor health and nutrition for people around the world. Lack of accessibility to affordable and nutritious foods disproportionately affects women, and food insecurity is correlated with many direct and indirect health problems, including malnutrition and obesity, negative pregnancy outcomes, as well as depression and other secondary effects. Women, especially in limited resources settings, also disproportionately face challenges in accessing affordable and nutritious foods, such as lack of time and limited transportation options (often with safety concerns), which makes in-person grocery shopping challenging. This innovation proposes to develop digital platforms, such as applications and websites, specifically aimed at women that allows them to order nutritious food online and have it delivered to their homes in more convenient, safe, and affordable ways. Digital platforms like this could be associated with improved access to safe and nutritious foods for women and their families. Furthermore, the incorporation of environmentally friendly food processing, packaging, and delivery methods from “farm to table” can boost this solution to help reduce the negative environmental impacts of this innovation.