February 2^nd to February 13th, Allan and I will join four couples from across Canada in Ethiopia to visit Canada Food Grains Bank projects in Ethiopia.   ‘After a number of years of volunteering in a number of countries, we look forward to seeing ‘on the ground projects’ actively addressing the problem of global hunger’.     

                                         Canada Foods Grain Bank in Nova Scotia

For over 30 years, farmers across Canada have been helping end global hunger through Canadian Food Grains Bank (CFGB).  Ian MacHattie describes how it works here in Nova Scotia.:

Basically, a local church (since all 15 major churches are members of CFGB) starts a project and opens a bank account.  Someone donates land, then area farmers agree to grow a crop. All the proceeds go to the church, who submit the earnings to CFGB into the account of a churches international aid group.  CFGB programmers work with partners around the world to use these funds to deliver food aid to approved projects.  Government matching dollars come out of the 16th bank account of Global Affairs Canada and go to the projects as well. So 1,000 dollars goes in, and 1000 plus 3000 goes out to the projects we sponsor around the world.  That’s how we work with our government and the UN World Food Program.

In Nova Scotia we have 6-12 farmers and ag businesses that donate inputs and work, (planting, fertilizing, combining) in each project that donate their services, and then also offer individuals, urbanites, rotary clubs and church groups to sponsor an acre at each project for $300/acre. 

Project Name	Land Donor	Church	Acres	Crop
Masstown	Masstown Market	Trinity United Church	12	Soyabeans
Riverrun	Riverrun Golf (Jones’)	Northeast Nova Baptist Assoc	12	Corn
Brookfield	LaFarge Cement	John Calvin Christian Reformed	35	Corn
Milford	Reg Mun	St. Bridget’s Catholic Parish	32	Corn
Annapolis Valley	Produce Donated, sold	6 Churches in Kentville		Pumpkins, Blueberries
Here is one example:				.

 Now Nova Scotians who are or aren’t farmers have a chance to join us by sponsoring an acre through Grow Hope Riverrun. Greg Jones is an accountant in Truro, NS. He also has a 6-acre driving range at his Riverrun Golf Club in North River that he generously made available to the Food Grains Bank to grow a crop. When the crop is harvested, proceeds from the sale are donated to the Food Grains Bank to be used in the work of ending world hunger. Supporters are sent updates on how the crop is doing throughout the growing season, and are invited to visit the crop and meet the farmer, often around harvest time. Watch this video to see how it works!  In the video you will see the ‘River Run’ project growing 12 acres of corn and visit a CFGB project with the Jones’ in Malawi.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5ZNjAjtxeU (This works best if you first open utube, then paste in the above link).

A couple of people wanted to know how you could sponsor an acre in this area.  

Here is the information. 

To sponsor an acre through Grow Hope Truro, the cheque can go directly to the church as shown below. Specify that it is for the CFGB Grow Hope Truro  project and they issue a receipt for Income Tax purposes

1.      CBM (Canadian Baptist Ministries)    295 Young Street Truro, NS, B2N 3Y4    .

Or

2.      Trinity United Church in Onslow. (415 Onslow Rd, Upper Onslow, NS B6L 5L2)

Or

3.      John Calvin Christian Reform Church,

169 Glenwood Dr, Truro, NS B2N 1P5

$300. sponsors one acre.  When the corn or soya beans are harvested, they will be sold for about $700. The proceeds from the sale of the crop are eligible to be matched up to 4:1 through the matching agreement the Foodgrains Bank holds with the Government of Canada.