Taking bite out of poverty

Catholic Relief Services is attempting to increase household incomes for these rural farmers and bolster food security through agro-enterprise. I just returned from Africa, where I saw how this approach has transformed the lives of farm families in Madagascar.

I met with farmers from a village called Ampamelomana, where CRS has implemented "Mihary Maharitra," a marketing project that is supported by funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This initiative aims to build the capacity of farmers' associations to identify markets and grow produce, such as beans, that are in high demand. Thus, they are able to increase their incomes through the sale of their agricultural products.

With great pride, the members of the local farmers' association showed us a 9-mile-long canal they had constructed to irrigate their fields. The members had collectively designed and built the project, with the technical assistance of Caritas and CRS. The increased irrigation capabilities will enable them to increase the size of their plot from 494 acres to 1236 acres - a necessary expansion, as they recently identified and negotiated a market contract to produce barley.

Mihary Maharitra, which is Malagasy for "sustainable marketing," also focuses on linking farmers with local government agricultural extension services and other business development services that will help farmers increase the quality and quantity of their production and better access markets. Finally, the project makes microfinance loans available to farmers so that they can avail themselves of these business development services and increase their capital assets. As many poor farmers are often denied credit because they lack collateral, the project has established a fund that serves as a guarantee for loan repayment.

Mihary Maharitra dovetails with a larger food security framework devised by CRS Madagascar, called FELANA (Food Security for Enhanced Livelihood through Agriculture and Nutritional Activities), which is supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development. The idea is that to truly improve the lives of the people we serve, we won't be successful if we address one sector, like agriculture, in isolation.

So, along with improving agricultural productivity and increasing family incomes, we are focusing on areas like disaster mitigation, prevention and preparedness. This is vital in a country like Madagascar, which is frequently struck by natural disasters, including cyclones and floods.

Improving nutrition and health is also key. Through training and awareness-raising efforts, CRS and our partners are promoting activities like childhood vaccination, exclusive breastfeeding for children up to 6 months of age, and techniques for preventing and treating diarrhea. We are also promoting sanitation measures, including building central points where people can access clean water for drinking, cooking and hand washing, and constructing latrines.

CRS is implementing similar agro-enterprise projects in many other countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Through these efforts, we are seeing gratifying results, as families begin to build the resources that will help them live better lives.

- - -

Ken Hackett is president is Catholic Relief Services.

Contact

Catholic Relief Services
http://www.crs.org ,
Ken Hackett - ,

Email

Keywords

Limited Reserve Grass Fed Beef Shop Now

More Catholic PRWire

Showing 1 - 50 of 4,716

• « Prev
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• Next »

A Recession Antidote
Randy Hain

Monaco & The Vatican: Monaco's Grace Kelly Exhibit to Rome--A Review of Monegasque-Holy See Diplomatic History
Dna. Maria St. Catherine Sharpe, t.o.s.m., T.O.SS.T.

The Why of Jesus' Death: A Pauline Perspective
Jerom Paul

A Royal Betrayal: Catholic Monaco Liberalizes Abortion
Dna. Maria St.Catherine De Grace Sharpe, t.o.s.m., T.O.SS.T.

Embrace every moment as sacred time
Mary Regina Morrell

My Dad
JoMarie Grinkiewicz

Letting go is simple wisdom with divine potential
Mary Regina Morrell

Father Lombardi's Address on Catholic Media
Catholic Online

Pope's Words to Pontifical Latin American College
Catholic Online

Prelate: Genetics Needs a Conscience
Catholic Online

State Aid for Catholic Schools: Help or Hindrance?
Catholic Online

Scorsese Planning Movie on Japanese Martyrs
Catholic Online

2 Nuns Kidnapped in Kenya Set Free
Catholic Online

Holy See-Israel Negotiation Moves Forward
Catholic Online

Franchising to Evangelize
Catholic Online

Catholics Decry Anti-Christianity in Israel
Catholic Online

Pope and Gordon Brown Meet About Development Aid
Catholic Online

Pontiff Backs Latin America's Continental Mission
Catholic Online

Cardinal Warns Against Anti-Catholic Education
Catholic Online

Full Circle
Robert Gieb

We ask you, humbly, to help.

Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you. Help Now >

Three words to a deeper faith
Paul Sposite

Relections for Lent 2009
chris anthony

Wisdom lies beyond the surface of life
Mary Regina Morrell

World Food Program Director on Lent
Catholic Online

Moral Clarity
DAN SHEA

Pope's Lenten Message for 2009
Catholic Online

A Prayer for Monaco: Remembering the Faith Legacy of Prince Rainier III & Princess Grace and Contemplating the Moral Challenges of Prince Albert II
Dna. Maria St. Catherine Sharpe

Keeping a Lid on Permissiveness
Sally Connolly

Glimpse of Me
Sarah Reinhard

The 3 stages of life
Michele Szekely

Sex and the Married Woman
Cheryl Dickow

A Catholic Woman Returns to the Church
Cheryl Dickow

Modernity & Morality
Dan Shea

Just a Minute
Sarah Reinhard

Catholic identity ... triumphant reemergence!
Hugh McNichol

Edging God Out
Paul Sposite

Burying a St. Joseph Statue
Cheryl Dickow

George Bush Speaks on Papal Visit
Catholic Online

Sometimes moving forward means moving the canoe
Mary Regina Morrell

Action Changes Things: Teaching our Kids about Community Service
Lisa Hendey

Download 100's of Prayers for free

Easter... A Way of Life
Paul Spoisite

Papal initiative...peace and harmony!
Hugh McNichol

Proclaim the mysteries of the Resurrection!
Hugh McNichol

Jerusalem Patriarch's Easter Message
Catholic Online

Good Friday Sermon of Father Cantalamessa
Catholic Online

Papal Address at the End of the Way of the Cross
Catholic Online

Cardinal Zen's Meditations for Via Crucis
Catholic Online

Interview With Vatican Aide on Jewish-Catholic Relations
Catholic Online

Pope Benedict XVI On the Easter Triduum
Catholic Online

Holy Saturday...anticipation!
Hugh McNichol

• « Prev
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• Next »