FOOD & FARMING

WHY FOOD & FARMING?

Access to adequate and nutritious food is directly correlated to economic productivity, cognitive development, and social capacity. A lot of progress has been made around the world toward reducing malnutrition, yet 1 in 10 people globally continue to experience hunger today. The causes of hunger and malnutrition are complex, and may include political conflict, climate change, and inflation. But at its core, hunger is caused by poverty, with low-income households spending up to 50% of their income on food, compared with just 6-9% in wealthy households. Among the world’s population living in extreme poverty, 80% live in rural areas where a majority are smallholder farmers. Ironically, extreme poverty rates are four times higher among agricultural workers due to low wages, poor infrastructure, high costs of agricultural inputs, and climate change. Because growth in small-scale agriculture can reduce hunger and poverty rates by two to four times, there is a strategic opportunity to invest in smallholder farmers and support those most vulnerable to hunger, including women, children, and people experiencing displacement.

DID YOU KNOW?

• In 74 countries, 343 million people face acute hunger, of which 1.9 million are in near famine conditions 
• 149 million children have stunted growth due to chronic lack of nutrients in their diet
• Around 70% of the world’s hungry people are living in areas affected by conflict and war

OUR RESPONSE

One Day’s Wages comes alongside grassroots partners to reduce hunger through sustainable agriculture training, farming inputs, nutrition awareness, and food aid for vulnerable populations.  Since 2009, we have supported 43 food and farming projects in under-resourced communities, impacting over 63,000 people.  Through our partnerships, Amina is able to access land and grow food for her family even while living in a refugee camp, and Minata is earning some much needed income by selling onions and tomatoes grown in her village’s community garden.