Food Security Program
What is Food Security?
Food Security: the state of having reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritous food. Food security has declined dramatically in many developing countries.
 "Before 'Food Security Program' we were very poor, no food and no clothing for the children. Then God brought us the program. First we were given goats, we used the manure on the land. Then we were given a cow. Now we have our own crops and we can feed our family. We sold a calf and purchased material for this house. 'Food Security' has taught us so much - Savings and Credit, animal husbandry, preparing income generating projects, HIV training, family planning, and fighting violence against women and children. We still need more training to help us become able to help ourselves and others in the area."
- Josephine The Food Security Program was initiated by the Kigeme Anglican Diocese in 2000. The Udder Project took over funding of this program in 2010. Since then, we have trained two veterinarians and 17 veterinary assistants. We support 17 different areas in the Kigeme Diocese that are suffering from poverty.
The Food Security Team is comprised of two veterinarians, an agronomist, a social worker, a coordinator and a part time accountant. We focus on the training of the local people in animal husbandry, agriculture and social development such as family planning, AIDS prevention and violence prevention. The long term goal is to end poverty in these areas and to create an environment of self - sustainability. Cyvugiza Update 2017 Cyivugiza, 2017 update: Pastor Vincent is still the leader of the Parish. We have regularly visited this site every time we come to Rwanda as we are consistently amazed at the wonderful changes that occur at this site. This is proof that forward thinking, planning and lots of hard work can bring about some amazing changes in people's lives. Pastor Vincent's main goal is to eliminate poverty in the area and he is well on the way to achieving this goal while motivating many people of his Parish in the process!!
They are harvesting Irish potatoes and storing some of them to obtain superior seeds to sell. We traveled down a very long hill to a valley where he showed us all the land that they have cleared, by hand no less, and the crops that they have planted. When we first visited Cyivugiza, this land was primarily treed and not usable. In 6 years, they have almost cleared all the land and have planted different crops. They are also planning on building a guesthouse in the future and are going to raise revenue for this through the sale of trees that they have planted on 2.5 hectares of land. Cyivugiza has come so far ahead from the area we visited seven years ago. It went from a very poor, AID's ridden population to one of the most impressive parishes we have seen in our travels in the Kigeme Diocese. |
Aspects of Food Security needing support:
1. Food Security Infrastructure:
- salaries for the Food Security Team - stipends for the veterinary technicians - transport to the various sites for monitoring 2. Training: - teaching the beneficiaries and promoting good animal husbandry - continued training for the veterinary technicians - agriculture training to produce food for the families and for the livestock. - training on social issues and development (family planning, AIDS prevention Education, Violence Prevention) - development of group cooperatives to lead to a self- sustainable program (savings and credit training, income generating projects) 
3. Livestock and Agriculture
- the purchase of livestock such as goats and pigs for the beneficiaries - supplying seeds for crops 
4. Veterinary Supplies
- the purchase of medications for the livestock and surgical supplies for the veterinarians and veterinary technicians 
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