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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Japan: A small and opportune oasis June 9, 2011
Right now, the city of Rikuzentakata, Japan is a food desert — a place where it's nearly impossible to find and buy fresh, nutritious food. Grocery stores and other shops were washed away by the tsunami. The closest markets are at least a half-hour away by car.
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Kyrgyzstan: Vegetables out of thin air June 7, 2011
Sary-Mogol is a very remote village in the Chon-Alai region of southern Kyrgyzstan, located at 3,000 meters above sea level.
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Libya: Mercy Corps and Taiwan ICDF provide food assistance in Libya June 6, 2011
It’s been almost four months since the unrest in Libya began. Prompted by civilian demonstrations fueled by over 40 years of Gaddafi’s tyrannical rule and looking to bring forth a new regime, the peaceful protests escalated into violence as Gaddafi’s forces quickly tried to squelch the uprising.
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Kyrgyzstan: Cash to improve food security in southern Kyrgyzstan June 2, 2011
On a recent crisp spring day in Osh, I was milling about one of our distribution sites in the Alymbek-Datka neighborhood, chatting with program participants.
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Guatemala: Guess who's cooking tonight in Guatemala? June 1, 2011
“Bienvenidos. "Loq ` le k`ulumnik. Welcome” to PROCOMIDA's final male recipe competition!
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South Sudan: Realizing South Sudan's food potential May 25, 2011
Many people are aware of the oil wealth in South Sudan, but it is less well known that my soon-to-be-independent country is incredibly fertile with huge agricultural potential.
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Great minds think alike: farmers deserve our support May 24, 2011
Farmers are on people’s minds these days, and they deserve to be.
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Indonesia: From Seattle to Jakarta, food carts are hot stuff May 24, 2011
In Seattle, the popularity of food carts has exploded in recent years.
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Libya: Talking chicken feed in Benghazi May 4, 2011
Mercy Corps' Jill Morehead (right) talks with a Libyan farmer about the challenges of raising chickens during the country's ongoing conflict and crisis. Dwindling chicken feed supplies are driving up prices, making life harder for farmers and consumers alike.
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Libya: Got chicken? May 4, 2011
Two weeks ago, we walked into the grocery store here in Benghazi, Libya to look for chicken.