Improving the distribution of food aid to soup kitchens in a locality of Lima. A localization and routing approach

Abstract

This paper presents the formulation and solution of a mixed integer programming model with two phases, the location of food distribution centers (FDCs) and the routing of vehicles for food transportation to reduce the time and costs of the delivery of these goods from the FDCs to the soup kitchens that provide rations to beneficiaries living in monetary poverty in Villa El Salvador, a town in the city of Lima. Different numbers of distribution centers were evaluated to be in a range of four to twelve centers. Savings in the distance traveled in kilometers would range from 7% to 42% with respect to the current food logistics network used in that locality.