Canadian Foodgrains Bank, supported in Manitoba alone with 25 community growing projects, is providing 9,109 metric tonnes of food to people in Zimbabwe in response to growing need in that country.
The $7 million project includes 6,927 metric tonnes of maize, 1,385 tonnes of pulses, 405 tonnes of oil, and 392 tonnes of corn soy blend, all purchased in southern Africa. Approximately 120,000 beneficiaries will receive rations to sustain them for five months, until the next harvest.
Zimbabwe faces one of the most significant food crises in the world in coming months. The UN predicts that 5.1 million people, nearly half the population of Zimbabwe, will require emergency food aid in the first quarter of 2009.
There are several contributing factors, including recent drought, some poor agricultural policies, a lack of agricultural inputs, and a rapidly declining economy (characterized by hyper-inflation, high unemployment and a rapidly depreciating currency). Further compounding the situation is the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS and a recent cholera outbreak.
In addition to food aid, Canadian Foodgrains Bank supports long-term food security projects in three districts of Zimbabwe. Farmers with small land holdings are learning the principles of a revolutionary farming system called Conservation Farming.
As a result, some farmers have tripled their corn yields. The secret to their success has been timely planting, precision fertilizer and manure placement, and covering the soil with mulch to reduce soil erosion and conserve moisture.
In particular, moisture conservation has been key, given the increasing intensity and frequency of droughts in the region. The mulch layer for many farmers is the difference between no yield and food for 3 to 6 months to feed their families.
“As in most of the regions where we support projects, the work of ending hunger in Zimbabwe requires several approaches,” says Jim Cornelius, executive director of Canadian Foodgrains Bank.
“It is important to respond as quickly as possible to the immediate needs so that people have the strength to carry on until the next harvest. It is also very important to support communities in their ongoing efforts to develop lasting solutions and feed themselves.”
Both of these projects are lead by the United Church of Canada, one of 15 member agencies that make up Canadian Foodgrains Bank. The United Church works with their partner agency, Christian Care Zimbabwe.
Gary Kenny, program co-ordinator for Southern Africa and emergency response for the United Church of Canada, was recently in Zimbabwe visiting both projects. “Our visit was one of mixed blessings,” he says. “We witnessed tremendous food insecurity borne of governmental neglect and lingering drought, but we also delighted at the faces of farmers beaming with pride at the greater crop yields they are realizing through conservation farming.”
Other Canadian Foodgrains Bank members have supported the United Church program in Zimbabwe, including Canadian Baptist Ministries, Christian Reformed World Relief Committee, Mennonite Central Committee Canada, Nazarene Compassionate Ministries, Presbyterian World Service & Development, The Salvation Army, and World Relief Canada.
Canadian Foodgrains Bank and their member agencies greatly value the generous support of Canadians. “In our 25 year history,” says Jim Cornelius, “we’ve supported projects worth more than half a billion dollars, thanks to the generosity of our donors, and the support we receive from the federal government through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).”
