What are you doing on World Food Day?

October 16 is World Food Day. Organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization and celebrated since 1979, this day serves as a time for reflection and awareness for the world’s food issues.
 
This year’s theme is “achieving food security in times of crisis” in recognition of the very real challenges of the global food crisis, the economic crisis and climate change.
 
CHF and its partners in developing countries continue to work to help communities create sustainable solutions for food security. Join us on World Food Day by participating in any of the following activities.
 
Learn more. Listen online or download a podcast at CBC’s Diet for a Hungry Planet.
 
Support local producers by buying your food from a farmer’s market or other local suppliers.
 
Read a good book about food issues, such as Stuffed and Starved, In Defense of Food or the No-Nonsense Guide to World Food.

Make a difference. Consider donating just one day’s worth of your food expenses each month to help those in developing countries struggling to feed their families.
 
See What the World Eats.
 

One in Six: The Ratio of the Hungry Worldwide

Following the smorgasbord of Thanksgiving it is difficult to imagine that a large portion of the world goes to bed each night hungry. According to statistics released by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), the number of undernourished individuals has reached over one billion worldwide.
 
According to the WFP, many factors contribute to situations of severe hunger, but this year’s increase of 105 million hungry people is caused in part by the current economic situation.
 
While the price of food is on the rise, the economic crisis is affecting households in developing countries. This situation makes it even more difficult to afford food. Along with the economic crisis, increasingly difficult weather conditions contribute to the rise of chronic hunger around the world.
 
As many as 70 percent of the world’s hungry live and work on small-scale farms and in rural areas of the world. Learn more about world hunger by clicking here .

CHF’s Decade-Long Partnership in Ghana

Improving the livelihoods of ultra-poor communities is a monumental task. For this reason, CHF works closely with local partners to maximize project results, supporting local organizations’ networks, knowledge and activities. One of these organizations is the Association of Church Development Projects (ACDEP) in Ghana.
 
ACDEP, founded in 1977, is a non-profit umbrella organization representing a network of 48 grassroots development partners in Northern Ghana. Together with CHF, they work to improve the livelihoods of rural households in Ghana.

“CHF’s partnership model assures that we asses and meet the needs of the rural poor effectively,” said Leslie Gardiner, CHF’s Program Manager for Africa. “Through organizations like ACDEP, the communities themselves are implementing and taking ownership of the projects. This is the key to the sustainability of results.”
 
As one of CHF’s longest partnerships ­— ACDEP has been a partner for a decade — the two organizations have worked together on numerous projects. The partnership’s current projects aim to reduce poverty in rural areas by increasing household income, improving rights and opportunities for women, and sustainable food security.
 
Learn more about ACDEP here.

Explore the Ghana projects, click here.
 
Stay tuned to see which CHF partner will be featured in next month’s issue…

Margaret Labarge (1916-2009)

Margaret Labarge had always been actively involved in her community. This generosity extended to her global community as well.
 
CHF is grateful for the contributions that Mrs. Labarge has provided throughout the past 21 years. Her financial encouragement and support has helped CHF in development initiatives around the globe.
 
When thanked by the organization she would simply reply: “I am pleased to be able to help.”