From the left: Earlier this year Chinelo Agon-Eze, Henry Reinders and Barbara Chimhandamba from Canadian Foodgrains Bank provided information on the role played by this organization to assist in the eradication of world hunger to a group of people at St. Clare’s Anglican Church on the outskirts of Winchester. Thompson Goddard Photo

CHESTERVILLE – Spring is slowly coming to the area and soon the agricultural fields will be busy as farmers begin the tasks associated with planting for the coming harvest. In Canada we are fortunate to have a strong and caring farming community, with farmers across the country being able to harvest for both our own consumption and export.

There are many countries which are not so fortunate and the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, formed in 1983, is an organization dedicated to ending hunger throughout the world. With headquarters in Winnipeg Manitoba, staff collaborate with 15 churches and church-based agencies representing 30 denominations, to work towards the eradication of hunger throughout the world.

Earlier this year Henry Reinders, Foodgrains Bank Regional Representative for Ontario, spoke at St. Clare’s providing details on many aspects of the organization. He explained how in 2023-24 the Foodgrains Bank provided $68 million in aid for almost one million people in 35 countries.

Avenues of aid included Emergency Food Assistance, Long Term responses and engaging Canadians and our government regarding meaningful change in this issue.   Emergency Food Assistance provides food assistance to those who don’t have access to food due to local crises such as climate change, drought, war and accounts for 65% of the budget.

Long term response seeks to assist farmers in other countries to improve their agricultural practices which can assist in hunger eradication and accounts for 30-35% of the budget, with informing the public and government of issues accounting for the remainder.

The audience was provided with information on specific work in Africa by Chinelo Agon-Eze and Barbara Chimhandamba which sought to assist in reducing the impact of food insecurity in countries such as Rwanda, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The heart of the work of Foodgrains Bank is compassion and meeting the challenges people face while leading the movement towards future self-sufficiency.

Across this country volunteers have worked fields of various sizes, with Reinders noting there are 85 projects in Ontario alone. When the crops are harvested and sold, the cash is provided to the Foodgrains Bank, with the government matching these funds. Reinders noted that over the years there has been decreased availability of land for Foodgrains Bank projects for a variety of reasons including increased land value. He mentioned the Foodgrains Bank is working for find different ways to develop the projects but that every crop harvested and sold is valuable, regardless of the size.

John Roosendaal and his family continue the work that began several years by Keith Smith in support of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank in North Dundas. Currently, the Roosendaal family prepare an approximately two-acre field belonging to the Anglican Parish of North Dundas at St. Clare’s, then sow either corn or soybeans, spray and harvest the crop for the CFB. He mentioned how this undertaking has been supported over the years by people in the agricultural field who assist the undertaking when needed. The money raised is provided to the CFB, with Roosendaal explaining the amount is dependant on the price of the crop.

More information on the Canadian Foodgrains Bank can be found at their website located at https://foodgrainsbank.ca or their social media pages.

 

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