Sustainable Agriculture Guatemala Project #18717

Seeds and Skills for Women to Grow Vegetables

by Seed Programs International

Summary

We enable access to quality seeds, training, and resources to empower women in agriculture! Women farmers produce more than half the food in developing nations yet own less than 2% of land and have limited access to quality seeds, improved technologies, agricultural resources, and training. We partner and work collaboratively with women's groups to improve food security, income, and nutrition worldwide, including Guatemala, Madagascar, South Sudan, Senegal, Ethiopia, Uganda, Liberia, and Kenya.

$200,000
total goal

$65,629
remaining

1,588
donors

7
monthly donors

5
fundraisers

9
years

Challenge

1 in 4 people globally - 2 billion people - are moderately to severely food insecure. The main causes of this are conflict, climate change, and poverty. Global displacement is at an all-time high with 100 million people displaced due to conflict. Climate change is driving extreme and erratic weather patterns around the world including historic drought, flooding, and destructive storm events. Globally, over 719 million people live on less than $2.15 per day, thus living in extreme poverty.

Solution

According to the UN, 150 million more people would be food secure if women had equal access to seed, tools, and training as men. Studies show that for every dollar a woman earns, 90% goes into the community, compared to only 30-40% for men. This means more money invested in health, education, and household-level needs that improve livelihoods. By working with women's groups, we aim to improve their access to agricultural resources to open their path to empowerment, income, and food security.

Long-Term Impact

Seeds and knowledge have this in common: neither is a one-time, consumable resource. Both can be multiplied and passed to others. SPI partnerships help move populations to locally driven solutions. For example, women can start small seed or produce businesses to sell food goods at market in their villages or cities. Women empowered with knowledge and resources for agriculture, marketing, and nutrition can lead their communities in ending hunger and poverty.