Use of Funds

In September 2008, Agrium, Inc. granted Friends of the World Food Program (Friends of WFP) $50,000 to support the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) in Swaziland and Malawi. This generous gift, pledged during the World Fertilizer Conference, was used to help fund WFP’s School Meals operations, specifically the Junior Farmer Field and Life Schools programs. The following provides a brief update on the status of each project to date, and how Agrium, Inc.’s generous contribution is already changing the lives of children involved in the program.

Junior Farmer Field and Life Schools

Junior Farmer Field and Life Schools (JFFLS) is a groundbreaking program that aims to improve the livelihoods and long-term food and nutrition security of vulnerable children between 12 and 18 years of age through sharing knowledge in agriculture and life skills. JFFLS is a community-based project that relies on community members to facilitate meetings about twice a week. It targets 25-40 of the most vulnerable children per school, mostly HIV/AIDS orphans, who meet after formal lessons to learn issues related to JFFLS.

The children, orphaned and impoverished by HIV/AIDS, are taught the latest techniques for growing their own food crops. They learn both traditional and modern farming skills, such as crop diversification, seed conservation, effective fertilizer use and environmental protection. While expanding their agricultural knowledge and acquiring business skills, students also learn how to adapt to social and family infrastructures.

Swaziland

The JFFLS project in Swaziland focuses on equipping children, the “junior farmers,” with income-generating skills and providing part of the capital needed to start and manage a successful beekeeping and honey production business. The beekeeping project will help the junior farmers to produce and sell high quality processed and packaged honey, enabling them to purchase much needed basic household and school supplies.

The project has just recently started—project take-off was delayed due to minor difficulties, such as a delay by the Ministry of Agriculture in identifying a site for the project. Currently, WFP is in the process of purchasing the materials necessary for the project, which will include fencing for security purposes and materials for constructing the beehives.

Training and beekeeping is scheduled to start in August-September, a period of school holidays. This timing will ensure that children participating in the program will be available, but will not miss their regular classes. The training will be conducted by specialists through the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) at four regional centers. In total, 109 students in Swaziland will participate. The training will cover beekeeping management practices, the capture of bees, the harvesting of honey and honey preparation for market.

Malawi

In Malawi, the JFFLS project started in September 2006 in two districts (Mangochi and Ntcheu), targeting 365 learners in eight WFP-supported schools. A review of this pilot phase was conducted in December 2007 followed by a revision of the project to roll out to 41 sites across six districts in April 2008. Currently, a total of 13 WFP-supported schools in the two districts (Mangochi and Ntcheu) are participating in the JFFLS project.

There are various activities implemented in this project in order to enhance the skills of the children. The activities include agricultural learning, livestock production, vocational training and other life skills. Agricultural activities implemented in the schools include school gardening, food preservation and food processing. These activities help diversify the children’s diets and act as models that can be replicated in their communities. Food processing and preservation are extremely important, as crop losses following harvest are often high due to lack of knowledge on appropriate processing and preservation practices by most households. Livestock production is also a key component of JFFLS as it is an income-generating activity for many households and provides the community with an opportunity to breed livestock. The livestock for the JFFLS program is maintained through a revolving fund system—when the goat of one JFFLS participant reproduces, one of the offspring is given to another participant.

Vocational training another important aspect of the program, as such training aims to help participants learn skills for their livelihood. Activities include wood craft, local mats production and others, and items produced can be sold for income. Other life skills lessons taught during the sessions include lessons on HIV/AIDs, child rights, group dynamics and other human relations. These lessons are important, as participants learn vital lessons such as HIV prevention and good leadership skills, and are empowered to stand up for their rights in society.

Over 1,000 JFFLS participants in three districts will benefit from this program in Malawi. All JFFLS pupils will receive grains and beans at the start of the afternoon meetings, which take place twice a week. Thus far, the food has been distributed and the implementation of the program is in progress. The country office has already noted that the food is increasing the participation of members to the JFFLS sessions.

Conclusion

With the support of companies like Agrium, WFP is able to team up with national governments and fellow international organizations to empower orphans and other vulnerable children in Swaziland and Malawi through the Junior Farmer Field and Life Schools program. With this help, these children are taught life skills and knowledge which will provide improved livelihood opportunities and long-term food and nutrition security not just for themselves, but to share with their communities as well. By focusing not only on food security, but also interpersonal, business and leadership skills, WFP and Agrium are working to empower vulnerable students to grow up to become their communities’ leaders.