Page 13 - Presbyterian Connection Newspaper

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fall 2017
The Climate Fund: Helping Farmers in Guatemala Adapt to Climate Change and Rise Above Hunger
By Anna Muir, Communications Assistant
PWS&D is a member of Cana- dian Foodgrains Bank, a partner- ship of 15 churches and church agencies working together to end global hunger. Donations to this project are matched on a 3:1 basis, meaning every $1 donated becomes $4 of programming.
On his farm in Guatemala, Rubén Pérez works hard cultivating maize, peaches and apples to make ends meet and provide food for his family.
In the past, if a particularly dry summer threatened his crops, Rubén had no way to adapt. “I would just dedicate myself to planting and think it is God’s will if this produces or not,” he ex- plains.
A changing climate that trig- gers unpredictable weather pat- terns and degrades soil presents a challenge for farmers like Rubén. When they can’t grow enough food to eat or sell, vul- nerable families sink deeper into hunger and poverty.
Throughout the developing world, people are feeling the ef- fects of climate change in their stomachs.
As Canadians, we recognize our own contributions to climate change and its devastating glob- al consequences. The Climate Fund, established by Canadian Foodgrains Bank, offers a chance to respond to those impacted, by equipping small holder farmers with the means to improve their ability to feed themselves and their families.
Each year, the Foodgrains Bank selects one project among its 15 members to receive mon- ey from the Climate Fund. This year, donations to the Climate Fund will support PWS&D’s agro-ecology and food security project in Guatemala—led by the Maya-Mam Association for Research and Development (AM- MID).
Rubén is grateful to be par- ticipating in this project that has helped him improve his family’s food security through better un- derstanding of how to farm in a changing climate.
Rubén received training in sus- tainable farming techniques to increase maize yields despite environmental changes. He also learned to graft fruit trees, grow herbs in greenhouses, make compost and administer medi- cine for his cows and pigs.
At first, Rubén was apprehen- sive about some of the new agri- cultural methods. When a project leader started cutting branches from his apple trees to demon- strate pruning, the farmer was convinced he wouldn’t have any apples left to sell.
Little trace of that unease re- mains—the tree bloomed better than ever, yielding the sweetest fruit Rubén has ever harvested. “This motivated me to prune the rest of my trees,” he shares.
It didn’t take long for Rubén to realize that this training would improve his life and his family’s for the long-term.
“It’s just been the first year and I am so happy. I look for- ward to learning more in the years to come,” he reports. “Thank you so much!”
By supporting the Climate
Rubén Pérez puts his new agricultural knowledge to practice while tending to his crops. Photo credit: aMMid
Participants of a workshop on soil conservation. Photo credit: aMMid Fund, Canadians can make a dif-
PWS&d Raises $120,000 for Famine Relief
ference for small-scale farmers like Rubén as they work hard to adapt to the effects of climate change and help their communi- ties get enough to eat.
Visit WeRespond.ca/climate- fund to make a donation of any amount to the Climate Fund, or make a donation based on the amount of carbon produced by you or your family each month or year. For tools to help you
Thank you for your incredible generosity!
Between March 17 and June 30, 2017, PWS&D raised $120,000 in support of our ongoing famine response. These funds will be matched 1:1 by the federal gov- ernment’s Famine Relief Fund.
PWS&D is responding through the Canadian Foodgrains Bank to support those affected by famine conditions by providing monthly emergency food distributions for families in South Sudan, prioritiz- ing malnourished children, preg- nant and lactating mothers, those who were unable to harvest last season, the elderly, and people with disabilities.
If a child is found with severe acute malnutrition—meaning they are so malnourished they
Participants learn to grow fresh, nutritious vegetables locally.
calculate your carbon footprint, visit foodgrainsbank.ca/the- climate-fund
are close to death—they re- ceive life-saving treatment with nutrient-rich therapeutic foods at PWS&D–supported nutrition feeding centres. Lactating moth- ers are also screened for malnu- trition.
While the period to receive matching funds from the federal government has ended, the need remains high. PWS&D continues to accept donations in response to the ongoing crisis. Addition- ally, any gifts made to PWS&D’s ongoing famine response will continue to be matched up to four times through the Canadian Foodgrains Bank.
vicky akello (43) is a single mother of eight children. Since
the food distributions, akello says her children’s health has improved and her stress reduced. Photo credit: MattheW saWatzky
Bene ciaries in South Sudan gather their food aid received through CFGB and begin the long journey home. Photo credit: MattheW saWatzky
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