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As of summer 2007, the Canadian Foodgrains Bank supplied its one millionth tonne of food to hungry people all over the world. That’s enough food to fill 15,873 boxcars with bags of grain – a train that would stretch approximately 290 kilometres.
“This is a significant milestone for us,” said Jim Cornelius, executive director of Canadian Foodgrains Bank. “A million tonnes of food is enough to provide a full ration of cereals, pulses, and oil to over 66 million people for one month. That’s twice the population of Canada, or one percent of the world’s population.”
The greatest recipient of support has been Ethiopia (332,504 tonnes). Much of the food supplied to households in Ethiopia has been distributed through food-for-work projects to construct water catchment and diversion systems and rehabilitate land in an effort to improve long-term food security.
In addition to donations from the public, Canadian Foodgrains Bank receives funding from CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency). In July 2007, it was announced that a new five-year agreement would increase annual funding from $16 million per year to $20 million per year. This agreement also allows more flexibility in the types of programming that are eligible for CIDA funding.
—CFGB release
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