The 22nd Rural Entrepreneurship Conference (REC2025): Community, Creativity and Liveability: supporting the wellbeing of resilient rural communities through sustainable entrepreneurship.

Food aid organisations like food banks have traditionally been seen as charitable. They are often based on philanthropy and altruism and rely on voluntary staff to distribute donated food. However, recent research in social enterprise and resource management reveals that many are finding creative ways to make things run smoothly, help more people, and stay strong for the future. (Vitiello et al., 2015; Coque and González-Torre, 2017). Lagos Food Bank Initiative (LFBI) is a prime example of this shift, transforming rescued food into an economic asset while fostering livelihoods and employability. This study explores LFBI's innovative approach to the surplus food redistribution system, showing how it collaborates with local farmers to maintain their livelihoods, avoids wasting fresh produce, and organises volunteers by adopting smart planning to maximise social and economic value while avoiding emissions from food decomposition.
This paper explores how LFBI develops employability skills, promotes entrepreneurship and builds local capacity through a qualitative case study approach that includes semi-structured interviews and participant observations. By adopting a model that treats rescued food as a resource-driven solution, waste is reduced, and creative paths for financial empowerment are established. Volunteers gain transferable skills in leadership, operations, and logistics, which can lead to career growth and self-employment opportunities. Moreover, beneficiaries can become self-reliant and have improved access to fresh food, many through school-based support.
The organisation's model also strengthens community partnerships for rural innovation, working with small-scale farmers, donors and local networks to establish a sustainable and resilient food system. This case study contributes to the ongoing discussions on social entrepreneurship, skills development and rural economic sustainability, offering valuable insights into how food banks can operate as dynamic, business-driven enterprises that blend philanthropy with long-term economic impact.
By repositioning food aid as a socially and economically viable intervention, this study provides practical lessons for social innovations, policymakers and rural development
practitioners, demonstrating how food redistribution can serve as both a solution for sustainability and an engine for rural livelihoods.