Building Food Security

Thank you to all our donors, we have met our fundraising goal.

WHY ARE WE DOING THIS?

Growing population pressure and urbanization, coupled with land degradation and frequent climate change are causing food insufficiency in most parts of Sri Lanka.

A well-developed and maintained home garden has the potential to supply most of the non-staple food that a family needs every day of the year, providing adequate nutrition to the family on a regular basis and may even bring a small side income. The significance of homegardens to rural livelihoods is well appreciated throughout the world. Homegarden has been described as an important social and economic unit of rural households, from which a diverse and stable supply of economic products and benefits are derived. Therefore is it a great way to overcome lack of basic food and nutrition security among most vulnerable families.

THE BENEFITS

The project will directly impact 40 families and indirectly benefit 120 people.

  • Provide food security for 40 families, giving them access to nutritious foods to feed their families. Raising different vegetables, fruits and medicinal plants on available land in and around the house premises is the easiest way to ensure access to healthy, fresh and poison-free food. This is especially important in rural areas where people have limited income-earning opportunities and the economically poor have less or no access to healthy food markets.
  • Alleviate the micro nutrient deficiencies, quite a common phenomenon in rural areas
  • Improve financial literacy so they can understand the different financial providers and have access to more effective and reasonable financial providers
  • Reduce Mal nourishment and nutrition deficiency disorders which are common among rural women and children
  • Teach families important agricultural techniques which can be utilised for crops grown for commercial purposes

HOW WILL THE PROJECT WORK?

We will identify farmers who are both vulnerable and have a propensity to extend what they learn through the home gardening techniques to grow crops for commercial purposes. The purpose of this is to ensure both food security and a pathway to increasing income.

We will engage experts to train families on how to grow a variety of crops to best meet their nutritional needs and effectively utilise scarce water resources.

HOW DO WE ENSURE THE PROJECT IS SUSTAINABLE AFTER WE LEAVE?

This program forms part of a 5 year village program in the village of Kanthansamy Nagar.

By working with the farmers to build the necessary skills & develop their knowledge, the impact of this program can continue well after we exit.