Helping the Local Food Movement Scale Up

Posted on July 24, 2011 by Casey Neese

Can the local food movement scale up? That’s the question posed in a recent post on FastCompany.com. I was glad to see this publication – known for profiling innovative, high-tech ideas and solutions – take on an issue that will increasingly be on the minds of so many as the world struggles to feed its growing population. In the piece, guest blogger Jigar Shah makes a good point: As the local food movement gains steam, how will small-scale farmers continue to meet the demand for their fresh, wholesome produce?

“The question we must ask is, ‘Will this scale?’ For anything to scale, it must solve a real problem, be cost-effective and replicable, and have the right systems in place to support it. To do that, it must attract sufficient capital from the private sector to encourage entrepreneurs to build large, profitable businesses.”

Shah, who has a background as a solar energy entrepreneur, points out parallels between the conventional energy and food industries. In his words, both industries suffer from complex and inefficient distribution systems and heavy regulations that favor the status quo over young companies that might have solutions to some of these industries’ problems.

One innovative new food producer, BrightFarms, is taking an interesting approach to scaling up local food production by placing hydroponic greenhouses on the roofs of supermarkets. The harvested produce reaches shopping carts without leaving the neighborhood. Shah closes his post by acknowledging that BrightFarms can’t address the need for wholesome foods alone.

“Just as solar rooftop systems meet some but not all of our energy needs, rooftop gardens can make some but not all of our nation’s food production and distribution more efficient. Finding the right answers for energy or food production will require us to invest in thousands of technologies that are scalable and make an impact.”

It occurred to me that the local food movement can only scale up if the demand is there. But what if it isn’t? In El Alto of La Paz, Bolivia, a local group recognized the need to raise awareness of the health benefits of wholesome foods. Through a partnership with Heifer International, they conducted a series of workshops at eight local schools about preparing and eating healthy food made with traditional, local ingredients. The families who attended these workshops then conducted similar workshops in other schools, and later organized a street fair to raise awareness of local foods. Our colleagues in Bolivia sent this video that tells this impressive story.

I like to think of this as scaling up awareness, and it’s exciting to me because this is something we can all do. We may not all be able to build hydroponic greenhouses; but like our friends in Bolivia, we can certainly tell others of the importance of eating wholesome, locally-produced food. Of course, I’d like to hear what you think. What are you doing to raise awareness of and support your local, small-scale farmers and food producers?

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Mandela Day the Heifer Way

Posted on July 1, 2011 by Casey Neese

Mr. Ruphus Papole of the Arise and Shine Project in Limpopo province, South Africa.

by Claire Hawkridge

Heifer International South Africa

The 18th of July is the birthday of former South African president, Nelson Mandela. On that day, thousands of South Africans, and many people around the world, will dedicate 67 minutes or even a whole day to volunteering in the service of others to mark Nelson Mandela International Day. In 2011, Heifer International South Africa is inviting volunteers to be part of our work, fighting hunger and poverty and caring for the Earth.

Nelson Mandela dedicated 67 years of his life to creating and later leading a democratic South Africa. Mandela Day (Nelson Mandela International Day) has been created to recognise his contribution and, perhaps more importantly, to encourage every South African – and many others around the world – to honour and remember his life by getting involved in projects that help others. Heifer International South Africa will be running two Mandela Day volunteer projects.

Read to Feed Mandela Day Challenge
Reading is a crucial part of developing a strong, successful nation. Read to Feed as a programme runs at many schools in South Africa and encourages children to read books while also raising funds to support the work of Heifer International South Africa. On Mandela Day, Heifer International South Africa is inviting adults to get involved in Read to Feed, too. Volunteers will dedicate one hour to reading to children at pre-schools and early childhood development centres across the country. Companies and individuals involved in this challenge will find sponsors for the hour they give to Read to Feed and this money will go to support Heifer International South Africa.

Plant a Tree for Hunger on Mandela Day

The Sukuma Project is a new project of Heifer International South Africa. It is funded by Heifer International. This July, the 172 project families will be receiving fruit trees to plant in their gardens. Planting that many fruit trees is a big job. On 18 July 2011, volunteers will be joining the Heifer International South Africa staff and students from the University of KwaZulu-Natal to help the project members plant their trees. Volunteers are required to organise their own transport to the project (roughly 3 hours from the city of Durban). Heifer International South Africa is hoping to have many willing hands to help plant the trees that will provide fruit and income for these poor families in Mabheleni Village. Project members will also be growing vegetables and raising chickens as part of the Sukuma Project.

Nelson Mandela’s contribution to the freedom and lives of so many people is well-known. Heifer International South Africa is looking forward to the opportunity, on Mandela Day 2011, to share with others the work that we do every day to further contribute to the lives and secure the future of every South African.

Full details on these volunteering opportunities can be found on Heifer International South Africa’s website and the Greater Good South Africa website

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Why Does Heifer Work in Canada?

Posted on June 29, 2011 by Casey Neese

Newcomer FarmStart-Up program participant Peter Seenath

by Catherine Scott

“Farming this land is the best thing that’s happened to me in my 27 years in Canada. To me, farming is the greatest thing you can get involved in.”

These are the words of project participant, Peter Seenath. Earlier this month, 13 Heifer volunteers and staff members visited the Newcomer FarmStart-Up Program at McVean Farm, a peri-urban project in Brampton, just outside of Toronto, Ontario as part of the Heifer Canada Study Tour. Prior to the visit, many of our study tour members had been wrestling with the question of “Why does Heifer work in Canada?” After all, Canada is a developed nation, with a relatively strong economy, and a bigger social safety net than many other countries around the world. Despite these factors, however, there is a high degree of food insecurity in the country. However, 15 percent of Canadian children are living in poverty, and between 1989 and 2004 the number of Canadians using food banks increased by 123 percent.

Another major issue in the country is the lack of new farmers. Right now, only 2percent of the population is engaged in farming, and the average age of farmers is 55. In the next 15-20 years, 60-70 percent of farming land will be transferred from current farmers, and many have no plans for the land use (much of the farm land may be given over to large scale mono-cropping projects, or used for urban development). There is a compelling need to train new, young, energized farmers. Enter FarmStart-Up. One of the goals of this project is to work on farm succession plans: Older farmers have land. FarmStart-Up has farmers. This can be a win-win for all involved. With Heifer’s help, FarmStart has provided land and training to new immigrant farmers, who hail from 27 different countries, and are growing mushrooms, radishes, garlic, hot peppers, melons, squash, etc. and marketing these crops to local sectors.

In addition to the need for new farmers is the increasing desire from people to know where their food is coming from. Under the current, broken food system, much of the food that is grown in Canada is shipped to the US for processing, and then re-enters Canada for sale and distribution. FarmStart wants to address the food system at the local level, by engaging with new immigrant farmers who can then sell their products through CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture) and local farmers’ markets. Right now, Toronto only has enough fresh food to last for seven days if all imports stopped.

It is staggering to consider that 60 percent of the food is imported in a country that was partly founded on farming. Nearly 100 percent of the garlic sold in stores in the area is imported from China, despite having conditions that allow for high quality garlic to be grown locally. As farmer Bahauddin “Bob” Baloch told us, most food here is incredibly cheap. In Canada, “you have value, but no flavor! We are producing good food, to help make good, healthy people” explains farmer Bob.

When we asked Bob how they select the farmers who participate in FarmStart, he replied, “You need really good looks!” Good looks aside, these folks submit proposals each fall that outline their marketing and farming experience, and their plans for their land plots. Most of the farmers start out with ¼ acre test farm for one year. If they are successful, they can expand in the following year. FarmStart is founded on a farm incubator model, with the end goal being to move these farmers onto rural lands when older farmers retire. Heifer provided one of the most important elements for this project: the pipes to allow the land to be irrigated. The farmers also attend three compulsory workshops on weed management, small tool use, and soil coverage to increase their chances at success.

From start to finish during our visit, we saw an incredible display of Heifer’s Cornerstone of “Sharing and Caring.” More experienced farmers were mentoring more inexperienced farmers. They were selling one another’s products at the farmers’ markets, and they were making strong connections with the local, surrounding community. We were graciously allowed to help work on the land that afternoon, and most of us were soon cured of our romanticized vision of farming. It is hot, sweaty, tiring work, and we are grateful for all those who farm, so that we may eat. At the end of the day, Newcomer FarmStart-Up’s Program Manager, Sridharan (Sri) Sethuratnam explains, “Farming is as much about people, as it is about food. It’s about community. It’s good to have a face behind the food.”

Catherine Scott is a senior grant writer for Heifer International. To learn more about the Newcomer Farm Start-Up Program, visit their website.

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In East Africa, Farmers Become Entrepreneurs

Posted on June 22, 2011 by Casey Neese

The Kiboga West Dairy Plant, which processes 8,000 litres of milk per day and serves 1,500 farmers

This morning, Moses Nyabila shared a remarkable story of transformation that’s taking place in Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda through Heifer’s East Africa Dairy Development (EADD) project. Moses has been the regional director for EADD since 2008, and he spoke to a diverse group of representatives of numerous non-governmental organizations and agencies at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) offices in Washington, DC.

The EADD program began in 2008 when the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation awarded a five-year, $42.8 million grant to Heifer with the goal of doubling the income of 179,000 farming families in three East African countries over 10 years. EADD is now in its fourth year, and we’re analyzing the program’s results and discussing phase two of the project.

And the results are impressive, to say the least. Here are some key points from Moses’s presentation:

Before the program, millions of dairy farmers were disfranchised, without any say in the direction of the dairy industry in their area. Now, 142,000 farmers are mobilized into more than 3,000 active communities of producers.
In the past, few women were willing to take up leadership positions within their communities. After implementation of EADD, 26 percent of the program’s local leaders are women.
Before EADD, less than 10 percent of farmers in the three EADD countries banked or had access to credit. Now, 80 percent of the 90,000 participant farmers in Kenya have bank accounts in communities once considered too poor for sound investing or bank financing.

At today’s event, Heifer CEO Pierre Ferrari told the attendees about his trip this past December to visit some of the EADD projects. Pierre holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, and he said he was impressed with the farmers he met. Through EADD, these burgeoning entrepreneurs were selling their surplus milk and participating in the regional economy. “The rapidity at which they were learning and implementing these business practices was remarkable,” Pierre said.

You can join an ongoing conversation about food security and related issues at USAID’s new Agrilinks Blog. There, you can also view and download today’s presentation.

And now it’s your turn. Should programs like this East Africa dairy initiative be implemented elsewhere? Could this same model be applied to other food commodities? Leave your ideas in the comments below.

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A Commitment to Feed 100,000 Families

Posted on June 2, 2011 by Casey Neese

We all agree – global hunger is a big problem, and there’s a need for big solutions. Today, Elanco announced its commitment to end hunger for 100,000 families globally through a partnership with Heifer. Together, we’ll identify small communities in developing countries that could substantially benefit from the gift of an animal, as well as training in animal husbandry, health care and other practices.

Elanco is a division of Eli Lilly and Company. At their Indianapolis-area headquarters today, Elanco’s president Jeff Simmons said, “We believe every person is born with the right to a hopeful future, and the right to be fed, but today, 1 in 6 people globally are hungry. More than 25,000 people die each day from hunger and malnutrition. That’s like 60 fully-loaded jumbo jets crashing each and every day.”

That’s a sobering thought.

Heifer’s CEO Pierre Ferrari was also on hand for the announcement, and he talked about the importance of a global network that will work in unison toward this shared goal. “This partnership involves more than just Elanco the company. It’s about the employees, too, and customers, the company’s entire network, working with us and with smallholder farmers to help them transform their own lives and futures.”

Already Elanco and Heifer work in Indonesia and Zambia, where we’re working jointly to establish local milk market outlets, improve production and conservation practices and train animal health workers. Today, Elanco announced it will partner with Heifer to work in the Hebei province of China, where more than 20 million families live on less than $1 a day. In that region, we’ll deliver the gifts of livestock and training to 800 families.

A group of Elanco executives and Heifer staffers just returned from a visit to Cameroon where they saw first hand the work Heifer is doing with smallholder farmers there. You can read their thoughts about the trip on their blog.

So what do you think? What are some big or small solutions to the hunger problem? How could large companies follow Elanco’s example and make a real difference in the lives of hungry families?

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Catfish Fingerlings Mean Hope for Indonesian Women

Posted on May 27, 2011 by Casey Neese

Heifer project participants and community members pass on catfish fingerlings at a ceremony in the village of Pematang Cengal.

Our colleagues Afrina Sagala and Priska Panggabean wrote this story about a recent Passing on the Gift ceremony in North Sumatra, Indonesia.

It was a sunny day in the village of Pematang Cengal and a happy day for the Tunas Jaya I Self Help Group (SHG). On that day the group of women had elected to join together in the fish raising enterprise. They share the labor to prepare fishponds with hope they will get additional income from this activity.

They were very enthusiastic; before, they only knew how to sow the fingerlings which they bought in the market. Previously they did not know how to prepare the land and did not know how to select and buy the fingerlings, make ponds, and manage the feed. They have high enthusiasm that this effort will succeed because they had training on how to cultivate catfish farming.

Those women also took their children and their husbands to witness the event, pray together, and wish success to the women who received the catfish fingerlings that will increase their family incomes.

Raising the catfish is one of the group’s activities. Others are plastic made flower design and building a daily needs store. The women groups are really excited with these group activities because before Heifer came to their village and implemented the program partnership, they never did useful and valuable activities. They can help their husbands with improved family income. And in two months they expect to have the fingerlings ready to sell.

Tunas Jaya I group is a remarkable group as well as other SHGs, because they are accompanied by extraordinary partners. Srikandi is one of the Heifer Indonesia’s project partners who committed to help the groups and community overcome hunger and poverty. The project partner has all women who have to travel 1 1/2 hour by motorbike just to reach this village.

The group is committed to help one another fulfill their dream of a brighter future for their families and the community. Ibu Farida (one of the group member) said that they wanted to thank Heifer’s supporters from around the world who had showed that they care about the communities and the communities’ children. Now, they have a new hope after Heifer worked there. They will take care of this program with all their heart and they promised they will do pass-on activities for the fingerlings and the goats they had received with happiness.

Afrina Sagala is a program officer for Heifer Indonesia and Priska Panggabean is

Regional Program Manager for North Sumatra.

Fish ponds in the village of Pematang Cengal

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The Question of the Day in Cameroon

Posted on May 27, 2011 by Casey Neese

Heifer International is fortunate to have a partnership with Elanco, and a number of people from their Swine Business Unit are visiting Heifer projects in Cameroon this week. The Elanco group chose Cameroon because Heifer has a number of pig-focused projects in the country. The giving of pigs means a food source that allows a village the opportunity to thrive through the continued benefit of sustainable agricultural practices.

The group is keeping an online travelogue, and the following is an excerpt from the post they shared at the end of day two…

“As we approached nightfall, we arrived in Bamenda. During our group dinner we discussed the question of the day: “Why are we here?” As this group is a combination of Elanco employees, Heifer International staff (including three native Cameroonians) and Elanco customers, we had some differing but overall cohesive reasons for coming to Cameroon and participating on this study tour:

We want to understand more about Heifer International, their work in Cameroon and how to get involved.
We realize we are fortunate for everything that we have and what we are able to do as U.S. citizens. We want to exchange knowledge and show other people back home what is happening in the world and how we can play a greater role.
Personally and professionally, this is a great way to grow and stretch ourselves. This is an opportunity for us to take this experience back to our friends, family, customers, students and peers back home to make it more personal to each of us.

“The question also posed to the group this evening was “What is one thing I want to learn or do before I leave Cameroon?” We will be making a list and holding each other accountable to do and discuss these things prior to heading home on May 31. If you are interested in seeing what this list looks like and learning about the next couples days we will spend in the Western Highlands of Cameroon exploring culture and agriculture, continue to join us on [our] blog…”

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Tererai’s Dream Fulfilled

Posted on May 21, 2011 by Casey Neese

When Heifer’s then CEO Jo Luck met Tererai during a visit to Zimbabwe, Tererai was inspired to follow her dreams of obtaining an education. Tererai made her way to the United States in 1998, and just three years later, she received her bachelor’s in agricultural education. She now holds both a master’s and a doctorate degree.

This inspiring story was featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show on Oct. 1, 2009. During today’s episode of “Oprah” – titled “Oprah’s All-Time Favorite Guest Revealed!” – Tererai received the surprise of a lifetime when Oprah announced that her foundation would give a $1.5 million grant to Save the Children to re-build the Matau Primary School, fulfilling Tererai’s dream of quality education for thousands of children in her village.

Read more about the Matau Primary School Project.

Watch a video of Tererai’s surprise on today’s Oprah Winfrey Show

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Mangroves & Oysters Mean Hope for Thailand

Posted on May 11, 2011 by Casey Neese

Project participants hold representative oysters at today’s Passing on the Gift ceremony in Phuket, Thailand

Late last night – while most of us in this hemisphere were sleeping – a delegation from Heifer’s US headquarters attended a Passing on the Gift ceremony in Baan Klang village in Phuket, Thailand. It was already Wednesday there, and the event was well attended with five groups of 25 villagers sharing the offspring of their plants and animals – in this case mangrove trees and oysters – with another five groups of 25.

The Passing on the Gift ceremony is the embodiment of the ever-expanding network of hope, dignity and self-reliance that’s created when our project participants are given the tools to lift themselves and their communities out of poverty. This project is focused on rehabilitating areas hit by the 2004 tsunami that devastated thousands of families in Thailand’s southern provinces and in neighboring Asian countries. Heifer Thailand made grants to local government offices and NGO partners to provide families with livestock, mangrove trees, fishing equipment and training to help them rebuild their incomes and move closer to self-sufficiency.

Noel Mace, our Asia and South Pacific program officer, was there to witness the ceremony. He says it was remarkable to see not only recipients being transformed into donors, but disparate groups coming together as they passed on their “love and values.”

“It really stood out that these inclusive groups of Buddhists, Muslims and Christians showed that community development and environmental protection takes everyone working together.”