HomeCookSL: Digital Approach to Addressing Food Insecurity through Empowering Home-Based Food Businesses with focus to Nutrition, Hygiene and Business Sustainability

Abstract

"“Food Insecurity” presents a widespread challenge globally, with particular impact on individuals such as students and working professionals living away from home. The challenge extends beyond mere access to food; it encompasses the quality, nutrition, and hygiene of available options. Compounded by the limited visibility of home-based food (HBF) vendors, these individuals often face difficulty in accessing nutritious and hygienic meals that align with their dietary needs and preferences. Moreover, HBF businesses struggle to establish and sustain their presence in the competitive food market, posing challenges to their long-term viability. An extensive research was conducted through a literature survey to validate the background and identify specific requirements aligned with the identified problem. Moreover, findings from the literature survey were further evaluated by experts and potential users through questionnaires and interviews. This further validated the factors identified through the literature review. Through the literature review and industrial survey conducted insights into consumer preferences, food safety concerns, and the nutritional aspects related to the food industry were yielded. Moreover, through the expert and potential users’ interviews a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by consumers seeking nutritious and hygienic food options were identified. Further, the needs of HBF vendors were also identified through the industrial survey. This research aims to address the identified problems through designing, developing and evaluating a solution. The proposed solution, HomeCookSL, focuses on enabling HBF vendors to showcase their Sri Lankan food recipes effectively and provide users with nutritional composition information and meals that align with dietary preferences. This platform empowers individuals to make informed decisions about their meals while supporting the growth and longevity of local HBF businesses."