Grow your way out of poverty with vegetables

November 27, 2016

There is a growing international awareness of the need for a focus beyond food security and on nutrition security.

The Crawford Fund assisted with a media outreach around this important issue at the International Symposia for Tropical and Temperate Horticulture held in Cairns (20-25 November). Delegates from 23 countries attended the event, supported by the World Vegetable Center and ACIAR. One of the symposiums focused on poverty and hidden hunger and interviews were arranged for speakers to focus attention on the important role that vegetables play in reducing poverty, hunger and obesity.

Local ABC radio attended the event and interviewed Dr Dyno Keatinge of the Global Horticulture Initiative and former Director General of the World Vegetable Center.

In his interview Dyno made the case for a greater role of horticulture in the fight against micronutrient deficiencies in the world’s poorest nations.

He told delegates, “It is no longer good enough to aim to feed the world. We must nourish it”.

The webstory on the interview includes a photo (above) of the Vinesa project funded by ACIAR. The project is improving income and nutrition in eastern and southern Africa by enhancing vegetable-based farming and food systems in peri-urban corridors, and is a good example of the impact of vegetables in raising income and improving health and food security.

The Fund is an Australian Partner Organisation for the placement of a volunteer videographer with the World Vegetable Centre in Tanzania through the Australian Government funded program with Australian Volunteers International. Rhiannon O’Sullivan has made a range of videos about the Vinesa project for both information and training, and they can be accessed on the Vinesa project page.