2012 Total Projects Financed - £138,800

During 2012, Vegfam financed projects which will directly benefit more than 1,700 people in 3 countries. A further 5,275 to 6,275 people shall also indirectly benefit from the projects.

The projects are mentioned briefly below – a fuller description for each shall be put on Vegfam's website in Spring 2013.

2012 Projects

Sustainable Agricultural Improvements in Mozambique - £50,000

Beneficiaries: between 100 and 140 households of the extreme poor; consisting of Female-headed households, smallholder farmers, deprived households and those caring for someone with HIV/AIDS or a disability, children at risk of malnourishment. Direct - approximately 700 people (including up to 140 farmers and their families); indirect - approximately 1,275 people (including the remaining community members on the island).
This project aims to facilitate appropriate and sustainable organic agriculture - leading to the consumption of nutritious food and the provision of income for smallholder farmers in vulnerable households.
Crops grown would include such things as: bell pepper, cabbage, carrot, cowpea, kale, lettuce, maize, mung bean, peanut, pigeon pea, rice, tomato. Also, vitamin rich, intense-coloured crops shall be particularly encouraged: banana, lemon, mango, orange, papaya, passion fruit, sweet potato, tangerine.
Funding for this project will cover the cost of: seeds, tree seedlings/saplings (to grow 1400 trees), tools, improved food storage, food processing and preservation facilities, training, water storage facilities. It will also enable the setting up of Community Seed Banks and Farmers' Field Schools (practical, hands-on ecologically based "schools without walls"), where groups of farmers work together and where their basic knowledge is valued and respected. Each group decides what theme they need training on.
The facilitators of the FFS are farmers themselves. This provides the potential for rapid outreach to a large number of farmers at an affordable cost.
Financed through Concern Worldwide (London, UK).

Floating Vegetable Gardens in Bangladesh and India – £88,800

Beneficiaries: poor and extreme poor households; direct - 1,000 poor smallholder farmers and their households (750 in Bangladesh, 250 in India), indirect - 4,000 to 5,000 people.
This project will enable the people to create and maintain 2,000 floating beds, to grow a variety of crops on public waterways in parts of Bangladesh and India where land for food production is scarce and where extensive flooding exists. Vegfam funded a similar successful scheme in Bangladesh in 2010 and this is a part of an extension of that.
Types of organic crops grown will include: beans, cabbage, chilli, cucumber, egg plant (aubergine), garlic, green leafy vegetables (spinach), gourd (bitter/sweet/sour/white), onion, potato, tomato, water arum & other vegetables.
Funding for this project will cover the cost of: seeds, plants, associated plant nursery items, agricultural activities and other related costs
This 3 year project will contribute to the livelihoods and food security of the poorest sections of the rural populations. It is part of a much larger programme being run by the project partner and others.
Financed through Concern Universal (Hereford, UK) working with in-country partners.

During 2012 Vegfam considered many project proposals. Aside from the funded projects above many others were carried over to 2013 for final consideration and Vegfam is hopeful that those other vitally needed projects shall be funded.
For details please go to news page Projects Under Consideration by Vegfam in 2013 on this microsite.

To download the above information as a two page A4 leaflet with photographs - please click on this link: Vegfam Funded Projects 2012 and Projects Under Consideration in 2013

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