Canadian Foodgrains Bank helping to rebuild Rwanda

The Canadian Foodgrains Bank is continuing its mission of helping to feed the hungry around the world. Currently there are an estimated 800 million people experiencing hunger, 70 per cent of them are small-holder farmers.

In the 1970’s the work began with a group of Mennonite farmers who shipped a portion of their grain harvest to India. In 1983 the group expanded to include other Christian denominations who responded to the acute needs in Ethiopia where they are still very active.

Now, rather than ship grain, the group uses a portion of their profits from the sale of their crops on the Canadian market to fund their ongoing work with partners around the world.

“Improving livelihoods will take the form of, there’ll be tools, at times there’ll be seed, at times there will be lots of training, sometimes livestock is provided, so these are small assets that help to begin a community development process that allows groups and communities to begin to build up bigger assets at a community scale and essentially increase their ability to be resilient to things such as changing climate and any other challenges that come” Block explains.

“There are many players and many necessary partners that are needed to make this work essentially effective and sustainable for the long term.”

A team of Canadian farmers, just back from Rwanda, witnessed the small scale farming that many families depend on in that country, with no insurance against drought or crop failure. A collective of Nova Scotia farmers donated almost $40,000 Cdn. from their recent corn harvest.

Almost 90 per cent of Rwanda’s people live in rural environments, and the Canadian farmers were there to witness how their contributions to the Foodgrains Bank are being used, and to work with the farmers to help provide more and better food.

“It really is a country that is being built again”

Rick Block, the regional representative for Saskatchewan at the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, was part of the 11-member group. He was accompanied by farmers from the maritime provinces, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.

Listen

While a very short visit Block says it left a powerful impression. Rwanda is a country in the process of rebuilding. 22 years after the genocide that captured global attention and decimated the population, the country is evolving through a reconciliation process that is reaping positive results.

“We were only there for seven days but to get a sense of that commitment by really the vast majority of people to say ‘hey we want to build our nation again, into something that is…’ you know, I think there’s a real gift to the world, is the word that we often used in terms of  seeing a people that have gone through a real significant reconciliation process and are encouraged to work together towards something greater.”

Rick Block, who grew up on a small grain farm in Saskatchewan, observed the results of farmers helping farmers. The Rwanda farmers shared the success they’ve had in terms of increased yields by employing techniques and skills such as crop rotation and preserving the soil by keeping it covered.

And mother’s shared their experiences growing what are known as ‘kitchen gardens’ in backyards close to the home. The vegetables, such carrots, spinach, onions and garlic are helping the children stay healthy. So are the improved hygiene methods with hand-washing stations established and the understanding of the importance of using them.

Ian MacHattie, a Nova Scotia farmer on the trip, told CBC News during a Skype interview, that the mothers were reporting their “kids don’t have worms or parasites anymore, because they’ve learned how to wash their hands.”

Rick Block says many of the farmers who take these trips return home with a sense of gratitude, for both what they’ve witnessed and for their lives here in Canada. For some the eye-opening experiences translate into a resolve to help even more.