Comments on: G8 Promises $20 Billion in Agricultural Aid: Real Change or Business as Usual? http://civileats.com/2009/07/10/g8-promises-15-billion-in-agricultural-aid/ Just another WordPress weblog Fri, 12 Mar 2010 17:00:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: News Feed http://civileats.com/2009/07/10/g8-promises-15-billion-in-agricultural-aid/comment-page-1/#comment-3605 News Feed Sat, 11 Jul 2009 01:04:57 +0000 http://civileats.com/?p=4280#comment-3605 [...] Clinton’s recent love letter to biotech, sustainable food advocates like our friend Paula at Civil Eats are wary of the role genetic engineering might play in this [...] [...] Clinton’s recent love letter to biotech, sustainable food advocates like our friend Paula at Civil Eats are wary of the role genetic engineering might play in this [...]

]]> By: Sharon Knoll http://civileats.com/2009/07/10/g8-promises-15-billion-in-agricultural-aid/comment-page-1/#comment-3602 Sharon Knoll Fri, 10 Jul 2009 18:18:13 +0000 http://civileats.com/?p=4280#comment-3602 What often times gets missed in food aid discussions is that people are the solution, not the problem. Our development model is outdated and based on people as objects, much as the US food production system. I have worked in Africa and examined first hand models that allow people to sustainably feed themselves. The model that works consistently is that of The Hunger Project (www.thp.org) It is based on 3 pillars Pillar 1: Mobilizing grassroots people for self-reliant development; Pillar 2: Empowering women as key change agents; and Pillar 3: Forging effective partnerships with local government. In 5 years time 30,000 villagers can sustainably end their own hunger, set up a bank recognized by the government which then gives them a voice, and contribute to the villages around them as well as hold their government to account to serve the people. This model has empowered millions of people in Africa. What often times gets missed in food aid discussions is that people are the solution, not the problem. Our development model is outdated and based on people as objects, much as the US food production system.

I have worked in Africa and examined first hand models that allow people to sustainably feed themselves. The model that works consistently is that of The Hunger Project (www.thp.org) It is based on 3 pillars Pillar 1: Mobilizing grassroots people for self-reliant development; Pillar 2: Empowering women as key change agents; and Pillar 3: Forging effective partnerships with local government.

In 5 years time 30,000 villagers can sustainably end their own hunger, set up a bank recognized by the government which then gives them a voice, and contribute to the villages around them as well as hold their government to account to serve the people.

This model has empowered millions of people in Africa.

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