VegFam: compassionate and sustainable famine relief (VegFam)

Member Name: theabster

Product:	VegFam
Date:	24/02/09 (205 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Very innovative in their small farm designs. Get to people big charities often don't get to.

Disadvantages: They are really small just now and don't spend on advertising much so are not well known

VegFam

You have almost certainly heard of the famine relief charity, Oxfam, which aims to promote improved quality of life for populations of the developing world that live with issues like food scarcity and the vulnerability imposed by warfare. But, have you heard of VegFam? They are a very small charity, raising funds for a unique aim that combines both with the aims of Oxfam and other famine relief charities, whilst simultaneously offering a quite different and arguably, more sustainable, approach. The difference? The promote and donate only plant based foods and agriculture.

Background/Aims

VegFam are quite unique, if quite controversial, in arguing that sustainable, long term famine relief and the elimination of food scarcity on a global scale is only possible through the implementation of plant-based agricultural practices. VegFam is run as a charity with wholly vegan ethics. So far as I get the impression, they are not out to preach or convert or directly attack those who offer a different approach, but are actively engaged in the promotion of a sustainable value system that can actively be adopted in vulnerable populations in a logical and rational manner. The highest regard is given to an approach creatively embracing a balance of three important aspects of sustainability: nature, animals and humankind. Additionally it is about combining environment ethics with economics and development. Though they are a vegetarian famine relief charity, they are linked with lots of other organisations and so commit that any kind of compassionate search for equality in food and water distribution is valuable. The very notion of 'humanitarianism' brings to light the unsustainable way in which we conduct otherwise altruistic, or indeed pseudo-altruistic aims as we try to disentangle decades of unjust resource distribution. Our aims are too human centred, too narrow in focus and too powerless to achieve long term social justice. Fundamentally, we (and so VegFam illustrates) need to bond and coalesce with the natural environmental to support human life in a more efficient and practical way, away from the industrial production and consumption impinged by materialistic ethics that we have to get away from. Oxfam do a great job, but sustainability should be a continuum, not an endpoint, and we can always do better.

What kind of projects to they run and how are they funded?

As a charitable organisation, funding is entirely through donations. Donations are apportioned: 90% Projects, 9% Administration, 1% Office Building Fund. From 2005 to 2007, around £100,000 was raised and spent on projects, helping over ¾ million people in 12 countries. The charity itself has been established since 1963 and has been actively involved in the creation of famine relief projects, principally as long term aid (though emergency aid is also distributed) for example, for flood, tsunami, earthquake survivors, HIV/AIDs sufferers, homeless people, orphanages, marginalised communities, schools and refugees. Schemes may involve the funding of seeds and tools for vegetable growing, fruit and nut tree planting, irrigation and water well projects.

An example of a project implemented in the Builsa District of the Upper East Region of Ghana has been the Kandema Rural Regeneration Project. Just over £12,000 was invested. As a region suffering from recurring drought, erratic rains and declining crop yields, mismanagement of the land through forestry practices and overgrazing have driven men who formerly worked in agricultural to migrate to urban settlements in search of work. Women are then left facing food scarcity and with little means of subsistence in difficult conditions. VegFam combined forces with Tree Aid, a charity based in Bristol, in order to re-empower the local people to farm the land through the introduction of 27,400 trees including cashew, cassia, mahogany, mango, pigeon pea, shea and wild tamarind. Training was also provided incorporating local knowledge with appropriate alternative techniques such as soil conservation, water conservation and technical support. Not only should these trees supply the local population with a subsistence based income, but should also create surpluses that can be used as firewood or as locally marketed excess produce.


Why is it more sustainable?

It goes largely unchecked that a major contributor to global food scarcity is through the vast amounts of land, grain and water consumed by the global livestock industries and thus eating animal produce is a major factor in causing food shortages. If we directly ate the grain that goes to feed animals, it has been argued that we could feed the world at least 3 times over at current production. Mareka Gandhi, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment in the Government of India argued this case quite convincingly with this statement:
"In a country where millions of people go hungry 37% of all arable land is being used to grow fodder for animals that are being raised and killed for export. As if that were not enough we are exporting soy beans to feed European livestock, who will in turn be murdered for meat. These kinds of figures cry out against any kind of meat production at all, compassionate or otherwise. I see no reason why India should feed the world at the expense of her own land, her water, her people, her hunger."

Many people just have to hear the word vegetarian and they switch off and think that they will be preached to. It is sad that in addition to the animal welfare issues that should make people think twice about their own eating habits, we overlook the simple science that makes meat production almost archaic in a 'greening' world. Meat production is horribly inefficient: 1 acre of land could feed 1 person on beef but 30 people on soya. It is simple maths. Soya comes with its own environmental accusations but, it is important to again remember that 90% of soya grown globally goes to feed livestock. We import much of the grain we feed to our livestock in the UK from developing countries that should be eating the grain themselves! Water scarcity is also a major problem in poorer parts of the world: again, cattle, pigs, poultry and so on all consume far greater quantities in production than would be used in the production of arable crops.

And then theres the scientific evidence continually providing more and more reasons to adopt a diet rich in plant-based wholesome nutritious fruits, grains, nuts and veggies in ensuring extended longevity and overall immune health. Further, reductions in cholesterol, heart disease, strokes, diabetes, anaemia and more. No, they aren't conclusive, but they are heading that way. When people are starving and emergency aid packages sent, there needs to be a consideration of what the most nutritionally dense food possible could be sent: it would be counter productive to do otherwise.

Conclusion

They are a really small charity run by a small number of trustees and volunteers who work really hard to get to the poorest people who really need help. I like the way they say on the website that they won't pressure you into donating by sending you pens and newsletters that you don't want. You can also contact them for a complex breakdown of their accounts in terms of where your donations might go, and you can choose specific projects to donate to if you feel a particular interest or affinity to one or the other. Other charities do a great job, there is question about that. But I really like the way VegFam are refreshingly honest. I just hope that they continue the work they do.

See http://www.vegfamcharity.org.uk/ for more details.

Summary: Vegetarianism is environmentalism!