Support Venezuelans in Feeding Themselves

Support Venezuelans in Feeding Themselves: Emergency Solidarity FundThe Venezuelan economy is choked by sanctions that have blocked access to food, medicines and finances, costing an estimated 40,000 livesand undermining the right to food. Ordinary Venezuelans struggle to put food on their tables on a daily basis. This campaign is a concrete way to support existing, effective grassroots solutions. 

Across Venezuela, communities and movements are organizing themselves to address the food problems head on—they are growing food and distributing it to those who need it most. As they work to address the short-term crisis, they also are working toward longer-term food sovereignty, through which communities have control over their food, land, seeds and other resources necessary for survival. These non-governmental grassroots initiatives include Plan Pueblo a Pueblo operating at the national level, the Vertientes de Agua Viva Cooperativein the Andean state of Mérida, the community seed bank El Conuquito del Barrancoin the Plains state of Lara, and an Indigenous farming initiativeled by a group of National Indigenous University students in the southern Amazonian region.

Each of these efforts is happening on a shoestring budget. Farmers and community organizers urgently need tools, seeds and organic fertilizers for sustainable agriculture, as well as transportation to get food to those who need it.

And here’s how you can make a difference! All money raised in this campaign will go directly to support efforts that are helping Venezuelans feed themselves in the midst of extremely difficult times, specifically:

***Seedsfor grassroots efforts linking small-scale farmers in the countryside to low-income urban communities (100 pounds of seeds are needed—that will grow a lot of food!) Recipient group: Plan Pueblo a Pueblo

***Establishment of a community seedbank and seed multiplication center in the Plains region, supporting both rural and urban farming initiatives. Recipient group: El Conuquito del Barranco

***Livestock productionto provide organic fertilizer and diversify diets for Andean farming communities. Recipient group: Vertientes de Agua Viva Cooperative

***Tools to support Indigenous youth farming projects. Recipient group: student group of the National Indigenous University

***Other efforts as possible, if the funding goal is exceeded.

Impact: The above beneficiary projects are supporting the diets and livelihoods of upwards of 100,000 people; 100% of your contributions will go directly toward helping them to reach even more. Funds will be released in portions as they come in, given the urgency with which they are needed, and will be allocated to the projects based on scale.

Updates will be shared on this page. Please help by giving what you can (no amount is too small, seriously) and spreading the word.

Direct donations of seeds and tools are also welcome – please write with any leads. Thank you! (About the organizer: Christina M. Schiavoni is a food movement activist originally from the US. She has been working with grassroots food movements in Venezuela since 2006 and recently completed her PhD on food issues in Venezuela . The groups featured in this campaign are ones that she has worked with in the field whose critical and inspiring work she can personally attest to.)

Check out these videos featuring some of the projects that will be supported: Pueblo a Pueblo in action, from the countryside (Carache, Trujillo) to the city (San Agustín, Caracas) Native Potato EcoFestival organized by the Vertientes de Agua Viva Cooperative and others

To make your valuable donation click below 

Support Venezuelans in Feeding Themselves