Oxfam Action Corps Leaders back from D.C.!
2012-2013 Oxfam Action Corps Leaders!
Every year Oxfam America holds a a four day training event in Washington D.C. for aspiring Oxfam Action Corps leaders. Kim and I(Liz) were fortunate enough to be two of the action corps volunteers selected to represent Minnesota!
New Minnesota Leaders!
Kim Kokett (Left) & Liz Harper (Right)
It was three days of intense (but fun) training, on how to run a local chapter effectively. The fourth day was spent on Capital Hill, where we made our lobby visits to Rep.Ellison, Sen.Franken, and Sen.Klobuchar's office's. All of the staffers we met with were very receptive and curious to know what could be done on their end. Our meetings were centered around the urgent need to reform the food aid portion of the 2012 Farm Bill. Specifically, we asked for two things:
- Greater use of local and regional purchase of food aid: At this point it has been determined that about $.32 cents of every $1.00 spent on food aid is lost through the shipping and handling process. Currently the farm bill demands that all foreign food aid come form the United States. It must be transported across the country to special flag ship vessels, where it is then shipped to the country in need. This process can take anywhere from 4 to 6 Months! This is a very significant lapse of time during a crisis, when lives our being lost. With the utilization of local and regional purchasing, food could reach the final destination up to 14 weeks faster. This is not a movement to take business away from local or smallholders farmers in this country, with less then .05% of the food grown in this country being used for food aid, and only by large agro-businesses. Greater flexibility between, using U.S. and food aid from neighboring countries, is in the best interest of all U.S. tax payers alike. Countries from all over the over the world utilize this practice because it just makes sense! Food purchased locally costs less to ship and is consistently cheaper to buy.
- Develop the effectivness of "monetization" and fund programs with cash not food:
Currently NGO's in the field working on development programs, such as integrated nutrition programs, vaccinations, livestock care, etc. must fund their programs with surplus food aid. For example, an NGO recieves 100 lbs of maize from the U.S. they may use 20 lbs to distribute to the community, and sell the remaining 80lbs on the market to fund the reset of their programs. This can be very hard on the economy of a developing community. When these groups dump large amounts of subsidized food into the village communities, it forces local farmers to lower the prices of their food to compete. With more cash funding these groups could fund their programs, as well as utilizate cash-transfers that can be given to local villagers to purchase food in their own communities (similar to food stamps here in the U.S.). This in turn stimulates the countries economy and helps the NGO work to its greatest potential!
So, what can you do??
We will be arranging follow-up meetings with in-district offices to further discuss these reforms. If you are interested in joining us, to help tell congress that we are tired of our tax dollars only going part of the way, when people are in need, then please contact us or check back for dates and times.
When kids play with their food it's cute. When Washington does,it costs lives. Tell Washington to stop playing with food aid
Right now, more than 50 percent of the aid money the government spends on basic food grains is wasted.
Lastly,
I would like to take a minute to spread the word about a free public forum coming up:
When: Tuesday,June 5th, 7-9pm
Where:Whittier Recreation
Please join us for a panel discussion of the impacts of climate change in East Africa and how you can take action on climate change. Speakers from (yours truly) Oxfam Action Corps, Somali Family Services, Sierra Club and more will talk about the changing climate's long-term impact on food security, droughts, and other climate disruption and how people are addressing these issues in East Africa and around the world. Snacks provided!
