Cash needed to address growing food woes
WINNIPEG, MB—When Heather Plett was in Bangladesh helping to distribute rice in the aftermath of Cyclone Sidr, an older man took the Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB) communications officer aside. "We appreciate the help we have received from you," he told her earnestly, "but we need more. Our people are still hungry."
The Winnipeg-based aid agency was already running a feeding program that provides Bangladeshi children with at least one nutritional meal a day.
"It takes pressure off of the mothers, who often give up their own rations of food for their husbands and children," says musician Steve Bell, who visited Bangladesh and India with Plett last spring. They also met with farmers who had learned crop-growing techniques from CFGB training sessions, which helped them double their yield.
They found an even harsher situation in India. "Only one in several hundred children is in school," says Bell. "They are badly malnourished; the babies dangerously underweight; the woman are thin, worn and sad."
After the trip, CFGB committed to a follow-up program that gives villages access to food as people rebuild their lives. But it's hard to sustain. "Unfortunately the cost of rice has more than doubled," says Plett. "Committing to this project means that we may have to turn other requests down unless we can mobilize resources from donors and the government."
A one-time $5-million gift by the government will provide temporary help to CFGB in light of increasing food prices around the world, says executive director Jim Cornelius.
"Our early estimates were that the rising cost of food would reduce our food aid programming by at least 25 per cent in the coming year—and probably much more." A subsidy announced April 30 by Beverley J. Oda, Minister of International Cooperation, will temporarily address the shortfall.
While donations in 2007 were at a record high of $8.4 million, CFGB hopes to see this amount raised to at least $10 million in light of the growing need. "With the increased demand that this food crisis is causing in developing countries, we anticipate even more requests to support the growing number of people who can't afford to buy food," says Cornelius.
Over the past 10 years the amount of cereals consumed globally has surpassed the amount produced by farmers. This and other changes in the past two years have caused food prices to increase abruptly. Such factors include a rising consumption of meat and dairy products worldwide, crop failures in major exporting countries, the use of cereal and oilseeds to make biofuels and increased speculation by financial markets.
For more information or to make a donation visit www.foodgrainsbank.ca.
Dear Readers:
ChristianWeek relies on your generous support. please take a minute and donate to help give voice to stories that inform, encourage and inspire.
Donations of $20 or more will receive a charitable receipt.Thank you, from Christianweek.
