Program will engage women poultry farmers to tackle hunger and poverty through the power of poultry
Cargill and Heifer International have joined forces to create The Hatching Hope Global Initiative. The bold initiative aims to improve the nutrition and economic livelihoods of 100 million people by 2030 through the production, promotion and consumption of poultry.
Hatching Hope will work directly with women smallholder farmers, initially in India, Mexico and Kenya. The program helps farmers not only feed their families but also become part of the solution to bridging the global food and nutrition security gap, while boosting local economies and providing nutrition education.
Hatching Hope will drive awareness of the nutritional benefits of poultry and eggs and stoke demand through local and national education campaigns. Farmers will be connected to markets and equipped with the goods and services they need to be successful participants in the poultry value chain.
Cargill and Heifer share a common belief in the value of safe and affordable animal protein in the diet and a commitment to improving livelihoods of smallholder farmers. Heifer has long-term presence, development expertise and strong relationships in rural communities that build social capital. Cargill has best-in-class expertise in animal health and productivity with deep knowledge in the poultry industry and global market.
Both have a strong global footprint and on-the-ground presence in developing countries and the ability to mobilize staff to address specific issues facing the poultry value chain in the countries where Hatching Hope will operate.
Cargill and Heifer partnered on an initiative in China two years ago to equip 450 women-led poultry farms with chicks, training and access to nutritional expertise and other services. The success of that project became the inspiration for Hatching Hope.
“The magic of the Heifer model is that every person that takes part in the project commits to pass on knowledge and expertise, and maybe even chickens to another family,” Ferrari added. “Farmers see not only that change is possible, but that it’s worth their time. Together, we build strong networks between farmers and link communities into markets – and this is how the reach and impact of Hatching Hope will continue to grow.”