Friday, August 7, 2015

Foodgrains Bank expands African project

The Canadian Foodgrains Bank is increasing its commitment to conservation in three east African countries with a five-year $18.67 million program backed with $14 million from the Canadian government.

The Mennonite Central Committee, World Renew (the relief and development agency for the Christian Reformed Church) and World Relief Canada are the program leaders for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank.

The program will directly help 50,000 farm families in Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania.

Farmers who want to increase the productivity of their farms through conservation agriculture will receive training, technical assistance and support through the program.

“Working together with the Foodgrains Bank members and partners on the ground, we will be able to help small-scale farmers address issues such as soil fertility and climate change and grow more food to feed their families,” says Foodgrains Bank International Programs Director Barbara Macdonald.

“This program will allow us to scale-up our work to enhance soil and water conservation through improved agricultural technologies in Ethiopia and Kenya, where we work with six local partners,” adds Don Peters, Executive Director of Mennonite Central Committee Canada.


“We’ve seen very positive results in our work to date, and are confident that through the funding of this program we will see these same positive results throughout a much larger area, impacting a larger number of small-scale producers and their families.”