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“The farmer is, without a doubt, the main ally of food banks in the world, and Culiacan farmers are no exception. Sinaloa farmers who support families in need through our food bank play a key role by donating fresh, high-quality products each season” – Daniel Tapia, CEO at Banco de Alimentos de Culiacan.

In this interview for Veggies From Mexico, Daniel Tapia shares his experience of leading a significant organization such as Banco de Alimentos de Culiacan, an institution that seeks to reduce food poverty through food donations for over 150,000 people in central and southern Sinaloa through four main programs. One of these programs consists of bringing the food to the door of beneficiaries, given that they are qualified as beneficiaries in extreme poverty, or given that, due to economic or physical reasons, they are unable to attend our facilities.

Daniel is a native of Angostura, Sinaloa and has a degree in Corporate Law, but in his professional experience he has done a little bit of everything, which gives him that sensitivity and knowledge to lead this very organization of utmost importance.

We invite you to read the full interview to learn all about the actions that this organization develops to benefit society, and hopefully soon we will all contribute by reducing inequality and become a part of Banco de Alimentos de Culiacan. Join us! With your help, you are one step away from making a difference.

1. Would you mind sharing with us a little bit about your professional career?

My first job was as a manager at a gas station, but I have also been a hardware and mobile phone salesman, an advertiser, a photographer, a kitchen assistant, a waiter, a cashier, and a bank executive.

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I was the CEO and founder of an association called “Por el placer de ayudar” that helped families of prisoners and homeless people. Currently, I am a columnist for Noroeste Newspaper, Human Capital professor at ICAMI, and CEO at Banco de Alimentos de Culiacan.

2. Please tell us about the Banco de Alimentos and how it has been in your experience to lead such an important organization.

Managing one of the institutions that collects the most food and benefits people in Northwestern Mexico, besides being a great responsibility, is a huge satisfaction and honor. Being able to bring food to the tables of over 100,000 people from Central and Southern Sinaloa is the greatest gratification that leading Banco de Alimentos can give me.

3.Tell us, what role have Sinaloa farmers developed in contributing to BAMX?

Farmers are undoubtedly the main ally of food banks around the world, and Culiacan is no exception.

Sinaloa farmers who support families in need through our food bank play a key role by donating fresh, high-quality products each season.

Also, farmers play a fundamental role on our board. David Bon; our current chairman, and Enrique Riveros, our counselor, are both farmers who not only donate to our food bank from their farms, but also support it by giving their time, effort and knowledge.

4. What is the strategy followed by BAMX to distribute food pantries, and how many families from Sinaloa are you currently helping?

Every day, we collect food from different allies, such as: supermarkets, restaurants, industries and, of course, farm fields. Once at Banco de Alimentos, food is delivered in packages together with other food that we buy such as beans, rice, tuna, mashed potatoes, pasta, etc.

We collaborate in different programs, where our beneficiaries from eight municipalities in Sinaloa come every fifteen days, helping a total of over 150,000 people a year.

5. What are the main programs in community support held by the institution?

Most of our beneficiaries are served in four programs.

Bamx Families: This program serves families in the urban zone of ​​Culiacan, who come to our facilities every fifteen days for their food pantry.

Communities: This program is focused on rural communities from the eight municipalities in Sinaloa being served, also aiding every fifteen days.

Institutions: These are served every week, which are community kitchens, rehab centers, nursing homes, and other private foundations, where they receive donations of food and a variety of items.

Ruta de la Caridad (“The Route of Charity”); One of our best programs, it consists on bringing food to the door of beneficiaries, given that they are qualified as beneficiaries in extreme poverty, or given that, due to economic or physical reasons, they are unable to attend to our facilities.

6. What actions does Banco de Alimentos BAMX take to prevent food waste?

We work throughout every farm season in the area, to raise awareness among as many farmers as possible, with the message that throwing away food is not the only option. Unfortunately, many farmers are not aware of the work done by Banco de Alimentos with regards to preventing food waste in the fields, and this causes thousands of tons of food are used to feed livestock or thrown in the trash.

7. What do you think about food safety and how do you include it in food handling at the institution?

Food safety is vital in food banks to avoid health risks. We ensure this through inspections, proper storage, product rotation and training on good hygiene practices. Also, we comply with regulations to ensure that food is suitable for consumption, by protecting the health of beneficiaries and avoiding waste.

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8. What are the main challenges and projects in the medium and long term for Banco de Alimentos BAMX?

For over 20 years, the most important challenge we have in our organization has been having proper facilities to receive the food, which is currently being wasted every season, due to a lack of space in our organization. We reject thousands of tons of food every year due to a lack of cold rooms, which causes them to be wasted and thousands of families in need cannot benefit from this food.

9. What is your main satisfaction in collaborating with Banco de Alimentos BAMX and what is your main dream for the future?

The greatest satisfaction is knowing that I can contribute in a way that thousands of families in Sinaloa have food on their tables thanks to the effort of all of us at Banco de Alimentos. My main dream is to be able to completely eradicate food poverty and extreme food poverty in our state, which is part of another  dream: To build larger facilities for Banco de Alimentos, with more storage capacity.

10. How can industry and citizens contribute Banco de Alimentos BAMX?

The farm industry can donate crop surplus and food suitable for consumption. Citizens can contribute with economic or in-kind donations. Both can help reducing food waste and ensure that more people with food insecurity get support.

11. Is there anything else you would like to add?

Banco de Alimentos largely has the solution to food waste and food poverty in its model of service. We only need to come together and see that important ally in our organization which, voluntarily and without economic or political purposes, contributes to improving the quality of life for thousands of families.