Agriculture & Food
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Photo: Erin Gray/Mercy Corps
Most of the world doesn't have the benefit of picking up food from the corner store — they grow it themselves. A family's plot of land has to provide for their nutritional and economic needs.
When food shortages occur due to drought and conflict, Mercy Corps helps prevent hunger and treat malnutrition in the most vulnerable — children, pregnant women, the elderly and the displaced.
Distributing food is necessary in times of crisis, and we always try to procure food from local suppliers to save money, ensure faster delivery and support of the local economy. Learn more about the success of this model in Niger (PDF) ▸
In addition to emergency responses, we quickly focus on long-term solutions that strengthen harvests and livestock for the long-term. Mercy Corps works with families to ensure quality inputs, smart land use, good crop yields and a fair price at local markets.
All stories about Agriculture & Food
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Indonesia: Empowerment Through Gardening December 21, 2007
The women of Mirik Lamreudup village are not only winning awards for their organic agriculture, but sharing their newfound success with other women in the area. Most of them are survivors of the Indian Ocean tsunami. All of them have made great strides in the last three years.
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Somalia: Shoring Up Riverbanks - and Confidence October 25, 2007
Bandarjadid, Somalia — Driving off-road toward this riverside village, there are hints of its past glory: the rusted remains of a tractor, a long-abandoned granary.
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Guatemala: Promoting Peaceful Solutions July 18, 2007
Decades of civil war, an inequitable colonial legacy and economic downturns have driven rural Guatemalan families further into poverty.
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Guatemala: Defusing Crisis July 18, 2007
Olivia's calm smile says a lot about her life today. However, just a few months ago, the situation was a lot different.
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Kyrgyzstan: The Apple Project Video July 6, 2007
This nine-minute documentary shows every step of the Apple Project, Mercy Corps' programme to help farmers grow better varieties of apples and to increase their financial independence in one of Central Asia's poorest countries.
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North Korea: Seeing for the first time June 13, 2007
For many years, I was privileged to hear firsthand stories of the people of North Korea from my husband, Mercy Corps co-founder Ells Culver.
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Tajikistan: Roots of Change February 7, 2007
Even at the venerable age of 54, Sangimoh Safarova doesn't shy away from hard physical labour. Hoe in hand, this spry woman eagerly scrapes eastern Tajikistan's rocky soil to dig up the last of her bumper potato crop.
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Colombia: Room to Grow February 1, 2007
Bogotá, Colombia — Greenhouses are not a common sight in Colombia's crowded capital. But on the southern edge of town, a rocky hillside hosts a half-dozen covered gardens that are offering nourishment for both the body and soul of people like Marleny Yara.
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Afghanistan: Life in Shashtepa Takes a Turn For The Better January 3, 2007
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Indonesia: Precious Seedlings December 20, 2006