An additional one-time $5 million to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank will provide temporary help to the agency in light of increasing food prices around the world, says executive director Jim Cornelius. "Our early estimates were that the rising cost of food would reduce our food aid programming by at least 25 per cent in the coming year – and probably much more." The subsidy announced in April by Beverley Oda, Minister of International Cooperation, will "help us address the shortfall."
While donations in 2007 were at a record high of $8.4 million, CFGB hopes to see that raised to at least $10 million in light of the growing need. CFGB receives $20 million from the Canadian International Development Agency. "With the increased demand that this food crisis is causing in developing countries, however, we anticipate even more requests to support the growing number of people who can't afford to buy food," says Cornelius.
Over the past 10 years, the amount of cereals consumed globally has surpassed the amount produced by farmers – just enough to gradually reduce global food stocks from about five months in 1998 to less than two months in 2006.
Heather Plett, communications officer for CFGB, recounts a recent trip to India and Bangladesh in response to Cyclone Sidr – a storm that devastated villages along the Bangladeshi coast, killing thousands of people and destroying homes, livestock, and fishing boats. While providing rice to several villages in the Barguna area, Plett says, "I met with some of the people who had been impacted. One older man took me aside and said, 'We appreciate the help we have received from you, but we need more. Our people are still hungry.'"
Since then, CFGB has committed to a follow-up program which gives the villages access to food as they rebuild their lives.
"Unfortunately, in those four short months, the cost of rice has doubled," says Plett. "Committing to this project means that we may have to turn other requests down unless we can mobilize resources from donors and the government."
In addition to giving more funding, the federal government has said it will untie its food aid program, allowing CFGB more flexibility to procure food commodities from developing countries. This will allow food to get to hungry mouths faster and more economically and will ensure appropriate food is provided.
