Author Archives: Pierre Ferrari

About Pierre Ferrari

Pierre Ferrari is president and CEO of Heifer International. Pierre is very passionate about empowering the families and communities with whom Heifer works: “It took me decades, but I have come to know that the only way to happiness and joy is to be of service to others.” Pierre’s other joys are his wife, Kim, his two sons and two stepdaughters. In his free time he enjoys golf, squash, reading and travel.

Just When You Think That’s Enough, DO MORE!

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This week Heifer’s Board of Directors is in town for one of several meetings we have through out the year. As I present to Board this afternoon, I will use a few examples of the families and individuals I have met.

Photograph by Dave Anderson, courtesy of Heifer International

I wanted to share one story in particular with you. Dolores Delgado is an incredible woman from Peru. For those that follow Heifer’s blog, her name should be familiar to you as we have mentioned her in a story we did last August titled Allin Kausay, and we also shared her story in the blog post, Heifer Supports Healthy Soil. My dear friend Betty Londergan also had the opportunity to meet Dolores in her visit to Peru, and wrote about her experience in her blog, Heifer 12 x 12, Guinea Pigs…not just for Breakfast Anymore.

I met Dolores last summer when I had the opportunity to travel to Peru and Ecuador to visit some of our projects. I’m always so impressed with the energy and drive of our participants, but Dolores in particular, really amazed me. For her it wasn’t “enough” to just improve the life of her family – it was important to also serve her community.

I love that attitude, I love that desire to DO MORE.

Photograph by Dave Anderson, courtesy of Heifer International

Just to provide you some background, Dolores has a small farm and is the “go-to” person for guinea pigs in her community. She has been a part of the “Allin Kausay” project. This particular project has been making great strides in promoting community development.

At the time of my visit, Dolores had a small shed that allowed her to produce, at maximum, 500 guinea pigs. As my visit came to a close, Dolores and I were talking about her plans for her farm, for the project and for her life. Dolores promised me that in one year she would build a structure that would hold more than double the amount of guinea pigs. I told her that if she met her promise, I would be back to Peru to see.

In October of 2011, Dolores and her husband began the work of constructing a new home for the guinea pigs. Dolores wanted to make sure that the guinea pigs would be housed where they had “enough space to not suffer or become ill.” The new structure was completed in January 2012 – Dolores doesn’t take her goals lightly! Her new structure has the potential to hold up to 2,500 guinea pigs in a warm, clean and wider environment.

Photograph by Heifer Peru, courtesy of Heifer International

In addition to making improvements on her farm for the guinea pigs, Dolores is embodying the spirit of Passing on the Gift by sharing her knowledge with her friends, neighbors and visitors. She uses her structure to host trainings, demonstrating hands on techniques that she has learned, including animal health care.

But don’t think that Dolores doesn’t have her hands on other projects. In addition to raising and selling the guinea pigs, working and training the community, she also tends to her organic farm. Oh but wait, there’s more!

Dolores’ family home has become a model of healthy living in their community. Many of her neighbors have repainted their homes and have recovered the tradition of decorating their walls with clays of different colors, thus drawing the attention of visitors.

Photograph by Heifer Peru, courtesy of Heifer International

Photograph by Heifer Peru, courtesy of Heifer International

The families that have initiated the changes to their homes (including Dolores) share a vision of one day having their community be a potential site for ecotourism visits. They want others to see, first hand, what its like to be a part of a community that is able to balance people, livestock, crop and agroecological production.

Photograph by Heifer Peru, courtesy of Heifer International

I am proud to have met Dolores and she has truly had an impact on my life. Dolores is the type of person who we should all strive to be – it is not just about us; we are part of a larger system. We are all connected.

For Dolores, participating in this project is a “dream come true” for her and her family. Dolores demonstrates that we can all be change-agents. We just have to be committed to our cause.

I have not forgotten my end of the bargain – I will make it back to Peru one day to see all that Dolores has accomplished. Until then, I will challenge myself (and you) to DO MORE!

For more information on the work in Peru, visit their website: http://www.heiferperu.org, or follow Heifer Peru on Facebook.

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The Role of Social Capital in Heifer’s Work

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This past week I traveled to Washington, D.C. to attend the Association for International Agriculture and Rural Development’s (AIARD) Annual Conference. The theme for the 2012 conference was “Priorities for Inclusive Agricultural and Rural Development.”

I was asked to serve as a panelist and was delighted to contribute my thoughts and provide examples of the progress Heifer has made on this topic.  As I prepared my speech, I began to think about what information I wanted to share. I decided to focus on the importance of developing social capital for the poorest communities.

So, what does this mean, and how is Heifer incorporating it into our work?

Community meeting in India

Sumitra Devi, 28 years old, talks during a meeting of community members on Thursday March 10, 2011 at the Koirganwa village in India. Photo by Russell Powell, Courtesy of Heifer International

The World Bank defines social capital as “institutions, relationships, and norms that shape the quality and quantity of a society’s social interactions.” Through the impact of social capital, Heifer project participants are able to have sustainable development and prosper economically.

Social capital is an important aspect of Heifer’s Theory of Change, which is that the most vulnerable smallholder farmers, including women, can produce adequate food and surplus to feed their families, communities and the world, if their capacity is enhanced with the right inputs. Through social capital, Heifer project participants are able to organize and strengthen their existing groups/co-ops/alliances and enhance their values through Heifer’s 12 Cornerstones. Social capital builds trust and hope and brings communities together. It connects similar people and then helps them understand and connect with other diverse groups.

So how does Heifer measure this in our projects? Our project indicators provide information on two types of social capital – structural and cognitive. Structural social capital  is the composition and practice of formal and informal local-level institutions that serve as instruments of community development. Measuring structural social capital involves evaluating how effective these institutions are at helping communities make the changes they desire to improve their lives. Cognitive social capital includes shared norms, values, attitudes, and beliefs that predispose people toward mutually beneficial, collective action. Cognitive social capital is specifically measured through participants’ perception.

Within the our projects, social capital can be seen by participants’ participation in the community organizations and networks (formal and informal) and their inclusion of diverse groups and access to services. It is also evident through commitment to Passing on the Gift and Sharing and Caring – two of our Cornerstones.

To help and engage the poorest communities, we need to develop social capital, beginning where they are along the development spectrum. It’s not crazy science – it is a demonstration of the connection humans need with each other.

Heifer has always been about working together and incorporating the values of a community. This is what has made us successful in the past and what will allow us to help even more families.

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Hope for Children

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As we approach June and the celebration of International Children’s Day in many countries around the world, I started to think of my own family. Tonight I will celebrate my stepdaughter’s graduation from middle school. She’s done so well, and we are so proud. I also thought even farther back about when my children were born and how when I held them in my arms for the first time, a million thoughts raced through my mind. I was fortunate to not ever worry about how I would feed them or where we would live or how I would support them. Unfortunately this is not the case for many families around the world. That is the sad truth.

Children are the most vulnerable among us, this is true from the newborn to the adolescent. Children depend on others to provide for their needs. But in so many of the countries where we work, they are vulnerable to malnutrition, which in turn,  lowers their ability to fight diseases such as malaria and gastrointestinal infections and eventually can cause death to their poor, weary bodies. But malnutrition for these children starts even earlier than we imagine. Children who are not well nourished in the first 1,000 days of their existence, including the time in their mother’s womb, are susceptible to cognitive impairment. But how is a mother supposed to care for her unborn child if she herself does not have access to healthy and nutritional food, doctors, or even clean water? According to the World Health Organization, 25,000 children (under the age of 5) die EVERY DAY, one third of those deaths resulting from malnutrition and 70 percent due to preventable or treatable conditions, given access to simple, affordable interventions. That is such a gruesome reality. Picture a stadium for your favorite sports team and fill the seats with children. All those beautiful faces lost. This is NOT OKAY.

And the children that do survive, they have another battle to fight.  I again think of my stepdaughter. It is normal – expected – that she will graduate from middle school, high school and college. In other parts of the world, many parents cannot afford to send their children to school; and when they can attend, the education is inconsistent, especially for girls. It’s so important for these children to have the opportunity to go to school because without education, these children will never overcome the cycle of poverty.

Photograph by Russell Powell, courtesy of Heifer International

This DOES NOT have to be the reality. All of Heifer’s work centers on families and communities so that resources, food, cash, assets training are available to end this tragedy as rapidly as possible. When I was last in Kenya, I met an incredible man named Laban. Laban was working with Heifer. Laban was determined to create a new life for the orphans suffering from AIDS in his community. With his hard work, and the support of the community, 32 children were given the opportunity to go to school. 32! There is the proof that it does take a village to raise children. And if he can help in his own community, certainly we can help too.

So as we honor Children’s Day this year, let’s remember the children all over the world, because they are our responsibility too.

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Finding the Right Technology to Support Farmers

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Times are quickly changing – I know I don’t have to tell you that, but sometimes, as I travel to our different country programs and visit with donors and partner organizations, I’m still in awe of the amount of work I can accomplish on an electronic device a little over 4 x 2 inches. I can record video and pictures (and upload them to social media sites!), connect with my colleagues, read research articles and engage in discussions about new innovations to help end hunger and poverty.

Technology continues to evolve and has begun to play an important role in agroecology. So how can the right technology benefit the small-scale farmers with whom we work?

For starters, as I just mentioned, the power of cell phones is incredible. More and more farmers around the world have cell phones, putting important information and connectivity at their fingertips. Farmers can exchange texts regarding the different prices for crops and can price their own produce accordingly. Can you picture the impact that this will have on women? For one thing, the possibility of improved literacy. Yes, because like or not, we are becoming more reliant on receiving our information electronically (isn’t that right blog readers?). In fact, this is already happening, and its making a difference in the increased income of these farmers.

Photograph by Dero Sanford, courtesy of Heifer International

At Heifer, we are committed to helping farmers secure a sustainable livelihood, and with that we also commit to finding the right technology to help them achieve their goals.

Energy poverty plays a significant role in keeping rural families poor. To overcome this particular poverty, some of our projects are looking into the power of solar energy. I witnessed this first hand in Haiti, where our participants are using solar energy in their fishing hatcheries.

We still have a lot to learn, and we don’t have all the answers, but that is why we commit to finding and working with people and organizations that are experts where we are not. It is working together that we will achieve Heifer’s mission of ending hunger and poverty while caring for the Earth.

I am very optimistic that, by harnessing the right technology appropriately, we will have a great impact in eradicating hunger and poverty – and sooner than we think.

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Heifer Welcomes G8 Commitment to Food Security, Nutrition

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Heifer project participant

A member of the Kamuyu Women's Development Organization with her infant among trellised Chinese beans in the collective gardening subsistence plot.

Heifer International applauds President Barack Obama’s announcement today that the Group of Eight Nations (G8) commits to bring the private sector, foundations, governments and civil society together in a New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition for Africa. The commitment will help keep the promise of the 2009 L’Aquila Summit to, “act with the scale and urgency needed to achieve sustainable global food security.”

But more, it is a commitment that, though it begins with Africa and the pledge to lift 50 million people there out of poverty, can provide a global solution. By energizing and allying all sectors, assisted farmers can create a food revolution and help feed a hungry world.

Today, there are nearly three billion people struggling to survive on less than $2 a day—nearly half the world’s population—and 25,000 children continue to die daily needlessly from hunger-related issues.

There is a solution; one the world is finally coming around to—the smallholder farmer. Today there are 650 million limited resource farmers in the world who grow 70 percent of the food eaten every day. If working together we can help them simply double their production, they can feed themselves, their neighbors, the entire world.

The commitment is significant. So, too, must be the execution. The need and opportunity are both too great to fail.

As committed, the new alliance will:

  • Be rooted in partnership
  • Mobilize private capital for food security
  • Take innovation to scale
  • Reduce and manage risk
  • Improve nutritional outcome and reduce child stunting
  • Ensure accountability for results

This is both a critical and opportunistic time. For years, Heifer International has been a leader in what has been called the livestock revolution. We have historically worked on a scale proportional to our limited resources to help demonstrate to the world the power and potential of the rural, smallholder farmer—the majority of them women.

We believe that this commitment, this pledge to think differently, to act differently, will help prioritize investments that improve nutrition and specifically target small-scale farmers, particularly women, who form the backbone of agriculture in many developing nations and who play a critical role in transforming agriculture and building thriving economies.

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From the CEO: Fighting Poverty Locally

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When some people think of hunger and poverty, they picture people struggling in different parts of the world – many of the countries where Heifer is already working. Very rarely do we picture families and individuals that are living in the United States, but it is a reality we need to recognize.

Many Americans are just one major illness or job loss away from sliding below the poverty line, and millions are already there. Roughly 46 million people in the United States live below the official poverty line. One in every five children in the country is food insecure, meaning he or she may have to forgo nutritious foods or meals all together because there’s not enough money to pay for them.

I think we overlook the poverty here in the U.S. because it is difficult to accept and it is even embarrassing. With all the abundance of resources we have, why are people still hungry? Whatever the reason is – perhaps lack of knowledge or lack of access – it is undeniable that families are struggling.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. And it is not a problem that “someone else” can fix. I want to ensure that we rid the world of hunger and poverty, and sometimes that means that the work starts at home.

I’ve received many letters or met with donors that have asked me how they can support Heifer’s work in the United States. Heifer USA recently kicked off Seeds of Change, a five-year project to support and cultivate sustainable community food systems and create jobs in Arkansas and Appalachia. In collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and other partners, Heifer USA will build a food system value chain that connects farmers with businesses , markets and their communities. I’m so excited about the outcomes from this project and most important is that this project links healthy local food and meaningful work.

Photograph by Russell Powell, courtesy of Heifer International

Now this work will not happen overnight. It will take a lot of time, dedication and effort – from ourselves and from our participants – but change is coming.

Hunger and poverty aren’t tomorrow’s problems. We need to address them today, and with your support we can help families and individuals in need become empowered, self-reliant and economically stable.

I invite you to read the latest issue of the World Ark to read more about Heifer’s work in the United States and how you can support Heifer USA’s Seeds of Change.

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Purchasing Fair Trade to Support Families

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May 12th is World Fair Trade Day, and like many celebrated days, I think this is something we should consider every day. Last month we shared with you how to purchase coffee with a conscience, and I wrote about coffee. I mentioned that in my previous life I assumed purchasing fair trade was “enough” to help the farmers move from poverty to a sustainable life.

Fair trade is a wonderful practice – we purchase good, quality products, and the farmers receive a fair price for their product. But another aspect we want to make sure we consider is that we are improving the lives of the farmers. We want the farmers to produce, first for themselves and then to sell the surplus, and through this build their sustainable lives.

Fair trade supports helping farmers, and at Heifer we believe this is an important component of helping more people. But we also need to have an understanding of the big picture and support the full cycle of farmers improving their lives.  We want this practice to be beneficial both ways, for us and the farmers!

Photograph by Dave Anderson, courtesy of Heifer International

This is why it is important for Heifer to support organizations such as Fair Trade USA. It’s not just about purchasing fair trade products, but it is also about ensuring that we incorporate different elements while working with the farmers. Protecting the planet, supporting farmers as they build their business, educating and empowering all families members (especially the women!) and fighting poverty are all part of the solution.

As I have mentioned before, I am on the board of Ben and Jerry’s, and one of the plans we are implementing is incorporating fair trade products into our ice cream. I’m pleased to report that by 2013, the products Ben and Jerry’s uses for their ice cream will be 100% fair trade. I’m also excited to mention that in my travels last year to Ecuador we met with a fair trade banana cooperative that is working with Heifer and (coincidentally) provides Ben and Jerry’s with fair trade bananas. What a small world!

Photograph by Dave Anderson, courtesy of Heifer International

So yes, it is important to purchase fair trade products – but it’s also important to support organizations like Heifer that are working with farmers to ensure they have the essential tools needed to rise above the struggles of poverty.

So if you’ll excuse me, I’m off now to drink my Yerba Mate (organic, shade grown, reforestation oriented, fairly traded of course!) and contemplate on what more we can do to end hunger and poverty.

 

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Reflections on the Women of My Childhood

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Mother’s Day is approaching, and I’d like to share some stories with you about women that have shaped my life and my world views.

My mother is an incredible woman who instilled in me to care for others. My mother is a twin, and she and her sister have always been very close.  As very young girls (maybe 4 or 5)  they made a pact that when they grew older they would become nuns in the Catholic church.  When they were older, they kept their promise; but soon after joining the novitiate, my mother decided on a different life path and she left, married and had me and my sister. Her sister stayed a while longer, taking her vows; but ultimately left, married and had four children.

Because of my mother and aunt, my early childhood allowed me to be very close and involved with a convent of nuns whose mission was to help the very poor in Africa (Elizabethville, Katanga, Congo). Most of their work was in a small hospital and as teachers, but they also helped through farming. The convent was very active and productive, always joyous about their work.  While my aunt was still in the convent, my mother visited often, volunteering and supporting them financially as best she and my father could. My sister and I came along and were totally spoiled by this sea of nuns, delighted to be able to be with children, a pleasure they had intentionally forgone to help others with no distraction.

Another woman who was impactful in my life was my paternal grandmother. She was a very traditional Italian matriarch, made of very stern stuff, yet she was as loving toward the poor as the nuns we spent time with at the convent.  She founded a vegetable and fruit wholesale and retail business in Elizabethville (Congo).  She worked with a local village teaching them to farm the vegetables and fruits.  My grandmother would buy the products from the small farmers to then sell to the local hotels, restaurants and the more affluent clientele in the town (mostly European families).

I remember riding with her in her pickup to visit the farmers for their produce. They would lay out the crop of the week, washed and ready. She bought what she felt she could sell, spreading her buying to as many families as possible. She was but one market for the farmers, but she paid the best price and got the best produce. There was always time for some laughs, teasing and gossiping, as all this trading was done by the women.  My grandmother cared so much for these women, and if there was ever a sick woman or child, she would take them to the convent for care and healing.

Photograph by Russell Powell, courtesy of Heifer International

My mother and grandmother were wonderful women, and I am who I am today in large part due to the ideas and beliefs they instilled in me. It was important for them to help take care of others and provide opportunities to families.

Working with Heifer, I have had the opportunity to travel to our country programs and meet incredible women–many of them mothers. When I see them and their dedication to their families and communities, I feel connected to them. These women are impacting the world around them. I am in awe of their passion and desire to do for others.

I am forever grateful for the love and care that my mother and grandmother gave to me and for the lessons they taught me. My grandmother is no longer living, but my mother is still kicking in high gear and helping take care of others.

Mothers all over the world give so selflessly. And what do they ask in return? For us to be happy and to help others. Brooke wrote a post earlier this week about passing on your mother’s generosity. As she mentioned, mothers come in many forms – friends, aunts, sisters, grandmothers. This mother’s day, let us honor these women in our lives by helping others.

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Never Take for Granted

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In a previous life, I served as Chairman of the Board for Ben and Jerry’s. It was very important to me that the company change its practices so that we were using fair trade products for the ice cream – coffee, vanilla, chocolate and all the other goodies.

I assumed that in creating fair trade relations with the co-ops and farmers that it would solve the poverty problem. But you know what they say when you make assumptions. Don’t get me wrong, I had great intentions but I didn’t have an understanding of the full picture.

While purchasing fair trade is important (and I’ll be back to discuss that!), it’s not the complete solution. The farmers still struggle with los meses flacos (the thin months). What I have learned since being at Heifer is that it is very important to pay attention to the details of impact. We need to have an understanding of the full process, the conditions and the theory of change. Heifer is doing this and this is how we work with the communities to truly work to end hunger and poverty.

photo by Amy Davenport

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At Heifer, we are working in the coffeelands. Earlier this week we shared on the blog posts about seasonal poverty, a (must see!) short documentary called After the Harvest: Fighting Hunger in the Coffeelands, and also how to choose coffee with a conscience. These posts were in correlation with my colleagues attending a conference in Portland discussing our projects with Green Mountain Coffee and meeting with other organizations working in the same sector.

I see the full cycle now and as I still serve on the board of Ben and Jerry’s (although no longer the chairman), I can bring the knowledge and the understanding that I have learned from our work at Heifer. While it’s wonderful to have good intentions, you never want to take for granted the impact that you want to achieve.

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Let’s Make Every Day Earth Day

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Earth Day will be celebrated this Sunday, and I’ve been doing some reflecting. Taking advantage of the cooler weather, I walked to work this morning and thought about what Earth Day means for me and how Heifer’s mission isn’t just about ending hunger and poverty, but it also includes caring for the Earth.

Tanzanian Garden

Photo by Dave Anderson, courtesy of Heifer International

There is no denying that the Earth is in trouble. Most of us are aware of the effects from climate change.  Catastrophic floods in Pakistan, torrential rains in Eastern Uganda, stifling drought in the Horn of Africa, enormous forest fires in Russia, powerful hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico, etc. The rhythm of the seasons are disturbed, the web of life is askew; nothing seems quite right anymore. Global warming is frightening; and sadly, humans are contributing to it and destroying the only home we know.

That’s the bad news. But here’s what we can do.

We need to change from the inside – change our thinking and attitude and, most important, our behavior. There’s a connection and an interdependence with the elements that surround us: water, soil, fire and air. When you have this connection with Earth, you are invested.

Honestly, I think every day should be Earth Day. We should always make an effort. Caring for the Earth isn’t something “someone else” will solve. I’m optimistic that together we can save the Earth and live in a world where anyone, anywhere could…

… walk up to a river and drink the water … and feel safe.

… buy and eat fruits and vegetables … and feel safe.

… eat fish or meat … and feel safe.

… take a deep breath of air … and feel safe.

I believe one day we will live in a world where everyone has enough to eat, cherishes their surroundings and lovingly cares for this planet we call home.

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