From left, MP Doug Eyolfson, Bob Granke, chair of Canadian Foodgrains Bank, Minister Jim Carr, MP Terry Duguid, and MP Dan Vandal were on hand to announce $125 million Canadian Foodgrains Bank funding.

Funding continued for Foodgrains Bank

The federal government commitment ensures stable funding for the next five years

The federal government is renewing its partnership with the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, promising $125 million to the organization over the next five years. “I think this is an opportunity for the government of Canada to support the wonderful work of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank and also to say to all of those farmers who are

people in Africa on a hillside

Moving from famine relief to relief from famine

Ethiopia has made solid gains thanks to a co-ordinated attack on the root causes of hunger

Famine relief was a hit in the 1980s — literally — as pop music stars donated the proceeds of their collaboration on the song “Feed the World” to help feed starving people in Ethiopia. It was a sincere effort that raised millions and was part of a global response by governments and aid and development


Sarah Jaibes is a Zimbabwean farmer practising conservation agriculture. 
Photo: Shannon VanRaes

Conservation agriculture will play a key role in feeding future populations

Conference told that by employing permaculture, cover crops, strategic rotation and reduced tillage, small landowners can generate surpluses and contribute to food security

Sarah Jaibes isn’t a soil scientist, or an international development expert, but she knows a lot about how to make small farms work and what it will take to feed nine billion people by 2050. The Zimbabwean farmer became involved in conservation agriculture in 2009, after rising inflation made it difficult to live on her



More trade could end African food shortages

Reuters / Africa could avoid food shortages if it reduces the tangled web of rules, fees and high costs strangling regional food trade and by putting large swathes of uncultivated land to productive use, according to a World Bank report. Just five per cent of Africa’s cereal imports are now provided by African farmers, according

Growing projects nearing completion

The final tally isn’t in yet, but 2012 may yet prove to be a record year for revenues generated by growing projects in support of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank. Good prices and good crops mean higher than ever grain incomes are anticipated, said Harold Penner, CFGB Manitoba resource co-ordinator. More soybeans and corn, and for


Time to think about PR

Perhaps one shouldn’t tempt fate by talking about a crop that isn’t in the bin yet. It won’t be a bumper for everyone, and let’s not forget those still struggling with the aftermath of last year’s flood, or those on the wrong side of the feed grain price equation. That said, there are some eye-popping

Urgent action needed as Sahel food emergency grows

Reuters / As many as 18 million people are being hit by a growing food emergency in the Sahel region of Africa, international donors and campaigners said June 18, calling for urgent action to prevent mass hunger in the vast area south of the Sahara Desert. Leaders from Sahel countries and donors such as the


Monsanto supports CFGB growing projects

Monsanto Canada has donated $60,000 worth of farm inputs to Canadian Foodgrains Bank growing projects his year. Community growing projects are a unique way for people to contribute grain and other agricultural commodities to help people who are hungry around the world. A typical project involves a group of people working together to farm a

Without January rains, one of two heifers will be sold

Co-operator editor Laura Rance is travelling on a media food study tour with the Canadian Foodgrains Bank. Updates are being posted on the Co-operator website at www.manitobacooperator.ca. The highway southwest of Addis Ababa to Wolayto-Soddo is wide and smooth, but there is no such thing in Ethiopia as setting the cruise control and just cruising,