Central Alberta Foodgrains Project is looking for some farmland in Lacombe County.
The 22-year-old charitable initiative is just coming off a bumper fundraising year with $104,000 raised from 120 acres of canola and donations. Matched four-to-one by the Canadian government, the local project was responsible for $520,000 going to food and food security assistance projects throughout the developing world.
Once the land is available, local farmers and agri-businesses step in. Seed, fertilizer and weed spray are all donated. Individuals or businesses can also sponsor an acre for $100, with the money going to land rent, crop insurance and crop inputs not covered by donations.
“It truly is a community project. It brings rural and urban people together for a great cause,” says Doug Maas, one of the organizers.
There are more than 30 growing projects in Alberta and 200 across Canada. Ten projects in countries, including Iraq, Haiti, Malawi, Kenya, Ethiopia, South Sudan and Laos were supported this year.
Anyone with land available can call Vic Bergen at 403-782-2545.