FYP

 

FINAL YEAR PROJECT (FYP) proposal

FeedPak: Donation Application

Project ID

BSSE-F-20B-FYP-24

 

Project Members

Student Name

Reg. ID

CGPA

 

1. |Irtaza Ali

201330

2.7

 

2. |Amna Bibi

200303

3.29

 

3. Abdullah Akhtar

201266

3.09

 

 

Team Name

FeedPak

 

Supervisor

Dr Azhar Imran

Signatures:

 

Co-Supervisor

Anwaar ul Hassan

Signatures:

 

Scientific Field

Mobile Application Development

 

Sustainable Goal(s)

2. Zero Hunger

 

Project Platform

Mobile Application

 

Primary Goal

The primary goal of this project is to develop a mobile application

 to facilitate donations and reduce food waste by connecting donors with nearby NGOs and enabling restaurants to donate their excess food. The application also aims to provide an easy-to-use interface for the donation process, and to provide information on required resources. Overall, the goal of the FeedPak mobile application is to bridge the gap between donors and NGOs, and to contribute to the betterment of society by promoting donations and reducing food waste

 

 

 

 


Abstract

Addressing the escalating global challenge of food waste, this project presents the design and development of a novel mobile application, FeedPak. FeedPak serves as a liaison between donors - including individuals, restaurants, and grocers - and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working to distribute unused food and other items to those in need. By facilitating this connection, FeedPak aims to contribute significantly towards the betterment of society, promoting charitable donations while simultaneously reducing food waste.

The primary objective of FeedPak is to create a seamless, user-friendly platform that can enable potential donors to easily locate nearby NGOs. The application leverages geolocation technology, providing donors with a list of NGOs in their vicinity, thus simplifying the process of food donation. Notably, FeedPak extends its functionality to restaurants, allowing them to donate their excess food, thereby reducing waste and making a valuable contribution to society.

Another integral feature of FeedPak is its resource information provision. The application will house a database of resources required by different NGOs. This allows donors to have a clear understanding of what kind of food and related items are needed most, promoting efficient and effective

e donations. This resource information module, in combination with the real-time geolocation-based NGO finder, ensures that every donation made through FeedPak is impactful and reaches where it is needed most.

Furthermore, FeedPak incorporates an intuitive and easy-to-navigate interface. It is designed with the understanding that the easier the donation process, the more likely individuals and businesses are to participate. By focusing on user experience, FeedPak strives to encourage more people to engage in food donation, which will have a positive knock-on effect on reducing food waste.

FeedPak represents an innovative approach to tackling the dual issues of food waste and food insecurity. By facilitating connections between donors and NGOs, it promises to foster a culture of giving, while also promoting waste reduction. The application is not just a technological tool; it is a social initiative aiming to bring about change at the grassroots level. Its potential societal impact is vast, from reducing hunger and poverty to decreasing environmental pollution associated with food waste. As such, the FeedPak project symbolizes a significant step forward in leveraging technology to create a more sustainable and equitable world.

 

 

 

 

Contents

Introduction: 4

Project Rationale: 4

Research Questions: 5

High-Risk: 5

High-Gain: 5

Relevance to Existing Work: 6

Novel Aspects and Major Contributions: 7

Project Utilization and Target Audience: 7

Aims and Outcomes: 8

Requirement Analysis and Specifications: 9

Functional Requirements: 9

Non-Functional Requirements: 9

Project Scope and Deliverables: 10

Project Scope: 10

Deliverables: 10

Implementation and Testing: 11

Data Acquisition: 11

Proposed System Design and Methodology: 11

Hardware and Software Resources Required: 12

Validation and System Testing: 12

Deployment and User Acceptance Testing: 12

Constraints in Project Implementation: 13

Project Breakdown and Work Plan: 14

Technological Breakthrough and Follow-o Funding: 14

Ethical Issues: 14

Conclusion: 15

 

 

 

 

 

 

Introduction:

FeedPak is a mobile application aimed at connecting donors with nearby non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in order to provide much-needed resources to those in need. With the ability to donate food, clothes, household items, ration, and money, FeedPak provides an easy-to-use platform that bridges the gap between donors and NGOs.

In addition, FeedPak is also designed to help restaurants manage food waste by allowing them to donate their leftovers, which are often in large quantities, to NGOs. By doing so, FeedPak not only helps to reduce food waste but also ensures that the excess food is put to good use, providing meals to those in need.

The mobile application provides information on required resources, making it easy for donors to understand what is needed by NGOs and where to donate. The interface is designed to be user-friendly and accessible, allowing for a hassle-free donation process.

Overall, FeedPak is a powerful tool that connects donors, NGOs, and restaurants, providing a platform that facilitates the donation process and ensures that resources are distributed where they are needed most. Whether you are looking to donate your time, money, or resources, FeedPak is the perfect platform for those looking to make a positive impact in their community.Top of Form

Project Rationale:

The project rationale for FeedPak is based on the recognition of two key issues: the prevalence of food waste and the ongoing struggle of NGOs to secure the resources needed to support those in need.

According to the United Nations, one-third of all food produced globally is wasted, amounting to around 1.3 billion tons per year. At the same time, NGOs often struggle to secure the resources needed to provide assistance to those in need, due to a lack of awareness or difficulty in connecting with donors.

FeedPak aims to address both of these issues by providing a platform that connects donors with NGOs and encourages the donation of excess food from restaurants. By doing so, the mobile application aims to reduce food waste and ensure that the resources donated are put to good use, providing much-needed support to those in need.

The project rationale for FeedPak is therefore based on the belief that technology can be used to address social and environmental issues, by providing a platform that enables individuals, restaurants, and NGOs to work together towards a common goal.

Research Questions:

1.      What is the level of awareness and willingness among potential donors (individuals, restaurants, and grocers) to use a mobile application for food donation?

2.      How effective is geolocation technology in connecting donors with nearby NGOs?

3.      What are the most frequently required resources by NGOs, and how can this information be efficiently provided to donors?

4.      How can user experience be optimized to encourage maximum participation in the donation process?

5.      How will the implementation of FeedPak influence the levels of food waste in the targeted areas?

6.      Can FeedPak increase the efficiency of NGOs in managing and distributing donations?

7.      How can FeedPak maintain data privacy and security, considering the sensitive nature of location and donation information?

High-Risk:

1.      Adoption Barrier: The success of FeedPak heavily relies on the willingness of potential donors and NGOs to adopt this new technology. A lack of technological literacy, resistance to change, or simply a lack of interest could hinder the application's usage.

2.      Data Security: FeedPak deals with sensitive data, such as geolocation information and potentially financial transaction data. Any breach could severely damage the project's reputation and user trust.

3.      Resource Management: Accurately updating and maintaining the list of resources required by NGOs in real-time could be challenging. Inefficiencies could lead to mismatches between donations and needs.

 

High-Gain:

1.      Reduction in Food Waste: If successfully adopted, FeedPak could significantly reduce food waste, particularly from restaurants and grocers, by facilitating their connection with NGOs.

2.      Social Impact: FeedPak could help alleviate hunger and poverty by increasing the efficiency of food donation and distribution to those in need.

3.      Environmental Impact: By reducing food waste, FeedPak could indirectly contribute to a decrease in environmental pollution associated with food waste disposal.

4.      Culture of Giving: The application could foster a culture of giving within communities, promoting solidarity and social cohesion.

5.      Scalability: If successful, the model could be expanded to other regions or even globally, amplifying its impact.

Relevance to Existing Work:

FeedPak builds on the premise of several existing applications and initiatives in the realm of food donation and waste reduction, particularly in India and Pakistan.

In India, platforms like Zomato Feeding India and No Food Waste have made significant strides in addressing food waste and hunger. Zomato Feeding India is a not-for-profit organization that collects excess food from restaurants and events and distributes it to those in need. Similarly, No Food Waste maps hunger zones in cities and channels surplus food from restaurants, weddings, and parties to these areas. FeedPak aligns with the goals of these initiatives and seeks to expand upon them with additional features and functionalities.

In Pakistan, initiatives such as Rizq have been making headway. Rizq is a social enterprise that collects surplus food from households, restaurants, catering companies, and weddings, and delivers it to underprivileged communities. FeedPak aims to leverage the momentum of such initiatives, while enhancing the process with real-time, geolocation-based connections between donors and NGOs.

FeedPak also takes inspiration from successful global applications, such as OLIO, which connects neighbors and local businesses to share surplus food. Like OLIO, FeedPak aims to foster a sense of community around food sharing, while also reducing waste.

Moreover, FeedPak's focus on creating a user-friendly mobile platform mirrors successful applications such as Uber and Airbnb, which have revolutionized their respective sectors by prioritizing an intuitive user interface and seamless experience.

In terms of academic research, FeedPak aligns with studies on the role of technology in promoting social good, and exemplifies how mobile applications can be used to combat food waste and address food security issues.

Through integrating these proven concepts and adding novel features, FeedPak is poised to make a unique contribution to the fight against food waste and hunger in India, Pakistan, and beyond.

Novel Aspects and Major Contributions:

FeedPak innovatively blends several elements from existing initiatives into a comprehensive, digitally-forward solution, thus providing a fresh approach to food waste and item donation.

One of FeedPak's novel features is the geolocation-based connection between donors and NGOs. While certain platforms like Zomato Feeding India and Rizq operate in the food donation space, FeedPak adds a layer of convenience and immediacy by providing real-time, location-specific connections. This innovation has the potential to minimize logistical complications and make the food donation process more efficient and accessible.

Another pioneering feature of FeedPak is its ability to provide real-time information on resources required by NGOs. This ensures that donations are not only generous but targeted and necessary, which is a unique addition not commonly seen in existing applications.

FeedPak's focus on creating an intuitive user interface also sets it apart. Drawing inspiration from successful applications in other sectors, such as Uber and Airbnb, FeedPak seeks to make the donation process as easy as possible, thereby encouraging more users to participate.

In terms of major contributions, FeedPak has the potential to redefine the landscape of food donation and waste reduction, particularly in India and Pakistan. It may encourage wider participation in food donation and promote more efficient use of surplus food. By targeting food waste from restaurants and grocers, FeedPak could significantly reduce the environmental impact associated with food disposal in these regions.

Moreover, FeedPak's model, if successful, could be replicated and scaled in other regions, making its potential impact global. By leveraging modern technology to address a significant societal issue, FeedPak stands as a major contribution to the fight against food waste and hunger.

Project Utilization and Target Audience:

The target audience for the FeedPak mobile application could include:

Donors: Individuals, households, and businesses who are interested in donating food, clothes, household items, ration, or money to NGOs.

NGOs: Non-profit organizations that are involved in providing assistance to people in need, such as food banks, shelters, and community centers.

Restaurants: Businesses that generate excess food waste and are interested in donating their leftover food to NGOs.

Volunteers: People who are interested in volunteering their time to help NGOs with the donation and distribution process.

Aims and Outcomes:

The aim of this project is to develop a software mobile application that provides a platform that connects donors with nearby NGOs and facilitates the donation process through an easy-to-use interface. Also, to reduce food waste by connecting restaurants with NGOs who can receive their leftover food and redistribute it to those in need and to provide information on required resources to NGOs, making it easier for them to identify and address the needs of the people they serve.

The outcomes of this project are:

1.      Increased efficiency in the donation process, with donors being able to easily donate resources through the app.

2.      Increased availability of resources for NGOs to distribute to the people they serve.

3.      Reduction in food waste by redirecting restaurant leftovers to NGOs who can use them.

4.      Improved transparency in the donation process, with donors being able to track the resources they have donated and see how they are being used by NGOs.

5.      Enhanced communication between donors and NGOs, enabling NGOs to better understand the needs of their beneficiaries and allowing donors to feel more connected to the impact of their donations.

6.      Increased awareness and engagement of the community in social issues, such as poverty and food waste, by providing an easy and accessible way for people to get involved and make a difference.

Requirement Analysis and Specifications:

Functional Requirements:

The functional requirements of this project are:

·         User registration and authentication: The app should allow users to create an account with their basic details, and authenticate the user's login credentials to access the app's features.

·         Donation categories: The app should allow donors to select the type of donation they want to make, including food, clothes, household items, ration, or money.

·         Donation tracking: The app should allow donors to track their donations, view the history of their donations, and receive feedback on their donations.

·         Nearby NGO search: The app should allow donors to search for nearby NGOs based on their location, and provide information on the NGO's services and requirements.

·         Donation scheduling: The app should allow donors to schedule their donations at a convenient time for both the donor and the NGO.

·         Restaurant donation management: The app should allow restaurants to manage their food waste by donating their leftovers to the NGOs, and track their donations.

Non-Functional Requirements:

Apart from functional requirements, the project will also consider non-functional requirements such as system performance, reliability, scalability, security, and user-friendliness.

The non-functional requirements for this project are:

  • Robustness and reliability of the system.
  • Compatibility with different platforms and devices.

·         The application should provide fast response times and be able to handle a large volume of transactions.

·         The application should be easy to use and navigate, with clear instructions and a user-friendly interface.

Project Scope and Deliverables:

Project Scope:

The scope of the FeedPak mobile application is to provide a platform for individuals, restaurants, and NGOs to come together and facilitate the process of donating resources such as food, clothes, household items, ration, and money to those in need. The app aims to provide a convenient and user-friendly interface that connects donors with nearby NGOs, and provides information on required resources, making the donation process easier and more efficient.

The inclusion of restaurants to manage food waste is an innovative and socially responsible feature, and it expands the scope of the application to address the issue of food waste. This feature can also help the restaurants build a positive public image and attract socially conscious customers.

Overall, the scope of the FeedPak mobile application is to promote and facilitate social responsibility by connecting donors, restaurants, and NGOs, and providing a platform for them to collaborate in addressing the issue of poverty and waste.

Deliverables:

  1. Detailed project plan and timeline, including milestones, tasks, and resources required.
  2. The primary deliverable of the project is mobile application with a user-friendly interface
  3. The donor dashboard that will allow donors to easily create and manage their profiles, view their donation history, and donate to NGOs.
  4. The NGO dashboard that will allow NGOs to manage their profiles, view donations, and update their resource requirements.
  5. The restaurant dashboard will allow restaurants to manage their profiles, view their donations, and update their food waste management status.

Implementation and Testing:

After completing the requirement analysis and specification, the project team will proceed to system implementation and testing. This stage will involve developing software modules, integrating hardware and software components, and testing the system's functionality.

 

 

The implementation process for this project involves the following steps:

  • Data acquisition and preprocessing.
  • Data Analysis
  • Developing Documentation
  • Development of user interface/Front-End
  • Development of Backend
  • Testing and validation.

Data Acquisition:

In this phase, we will collect relevant data, including information about NGOs, their locations, and their resource requirements. We will also acquire data about potential donors, such as individuals, restaurants, and grocers. Preprocessing will involve cleaning and organizing this data to ensure its reliability and usability.

Proposed System Design and Methodology:

The FeedPak system will follow a hybrid agile-waterfall methodology, allowing for flexibility while maintaining a structured approach. The design will be modular, facilitating parallel development and testing. It will incorporate  geolocation services, user-interface components, data management systems, and secure banking integrations. The methodology will involve regular iteration, testing, and refinement, ensuring that the final product is reliable and user-friendly.

Hardware and Software Resources Required:

Hardware: FeedPak, as a mobile application, will primarily require smartphones for end-users. For development and testing, the team will need high-performance computers and servers to store and process data.

 

Software: The development of FeedPak will involve software tools such as an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for coding, such as Android Studio or Xcode, and database management systems like Firebase or PostgreSQL. The design process may incorporate tools like Figma.

Testing will be carried out using tools like JUnit for unit testing, Espresso for Android UI testing, or XCTest for iOS UI testing

In terms of programming languages and frameworks, we will use React Native for cross-platform app development, which allows for both Android and iOS development, and Firebase for database management.

Lastly, project management tools such as Trello will be used to oversee the workflow and progress of the project.

                                                                                                                       

Validation and System Testing:

 

Once the system is fully implemented, it will undergo extensive validation and testing to ensure that it meet the system requirements and user needs. The testing will be conducted in a controlled environment to identify and fix any issues before the system is deployed. The system will be validated using some users and tested using various types of testing such as:

·         Unit testing

·         Integration testing

·         Acceptance testing.

 

Deployment and User Acceptance Testing:

The final stage of the project will be to deploy the system to NGO’s and conduct user acceptance testing. This stage will involve working with NGO’s and customers to ensure that the system meets their needs and is easy to use. Feedback from this stage will be used to improve the system further. The system will be deployed in a phased manner, with a small group of users initially, followed by a wider audience.

 

Constraints in Project Implementation:

The primary constraint in project implementation will be the availability of data. The project team will need to ensure that they can access a large dataset to train the machine learning models used in the system.

Following are some other major constraints in project implementation:

  • Time constraints.
  • Hardware and Software resource constraint.
  • Technical expertise and resources constraint.
  • Limited Donor Base can be a constraint

 

Project Breakdown and Work Plan:

 

ID

Name

Start Date

End Date

Duration

1

Data Acquisition and Pre-Processing

June 20, 2023

June 28, 2023

08 days

2

Data Acquisition

June 29, 2023

July 01, 2023

02 days

3

Data Pre-Processing

July 01, 2023

July 03, 2023

02 days

4

Data Analysis

July 04, 2023

July 05, 2023

01 day

5

Developing SRS Document

July 06, 2023

July 13, 2023

07 days

6

Developing Design Document

July 14,2023

July 17,2023

03 days

7

Developing Frontend

July 15,2023

Aug 30, 2023

       45 days

8

Testing and Validation

Aug 31, 2023

Sep 03, 2023

     03 days

09

API Integration

Sep 04, 2023

Sep 15, 2023

11 days

10

API Testing

Sep 16, 2023

Sep 20, 2023

4 days

11

Developing Backend

Sep 21, 2023

Oct 01, 2023

45 days

12

Testing and Validation

Oct 03, 2023

Oct 23, 2023

20 days

 

 

 

Technological Breakthrough and Follow-o Funding:

 

Ethical Issues:

The project team will need to consider ethical issues such as privacy, data protection, and fairness in system development and deployment. The system will be designed to comply with data protection regulations and ensure that user’s data is secure and protected.

Following ethical issues will be taken into consideration:

·         The application will prioritize user privacy and security.

·         The application will ensure that food donated by restaurants is safe for consumption.

·         The application will ensure that the source of donations is transparent, and that the donated resources are used for the intended purpose.

 

Conclusion:

 

In conclusion, this project aims to develop a mobile application FeedPak which is  an innovative platform that aims to connect donors with nearby NGOs, provide information on required resources, and facilitate the donation process through an easy-to-use interface, thereby bridging the gap between donors and NGOs.The main goal of this application is to facilitate donations. By connecting restaurants to manage food waste, the application also addresses the issue of food waste, which is a growing concern globally. By following a step-by-step process that includes requirement analysis, system design, implementation, testing, validation, deployment, and user acceptance testing, the project team will deliver a fully functional application that meets the needs customers.

 

 

 

 

 

References

Olio - Your Local Sharing App. (2023, May 15). Olio | at Home. https://olioapp.com/en/

Love. Does. Feed. (n.d.). https://sharerizq.com/enFeeding

 

India: Non-Government Organization (NGO) to solve hunger in India. (n.d.). Feeding India by Zomato. https://www.feedingindia.org/

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Abdullah's Blogs