The Sinú River in northern Colombia has supported a diverse community of indigenous people for generations. The Zenu and Embera people who live by its banks depend on the river for fish, irrigation and drinking water. But in 2000, the Urrá Dam, built by a consortium of Colombian, Swedish and Russian companies, submerged over 7,400 …
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Originally published on the Pursue blog. U.S. foreign food aid dates back to U.S. reconstruction efforts in Europe following World War II. Over the last 60 years, it has morphed into a $2.2 billion business with vested interests ranging from international development organizations to farmers, processors and shipping companies. Our foreign food aid has become highly politicized …
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A recent IRIN article (posted on AlertNet) affirmed what many of us at AJWS have been saying for a long time: that local aid and local humanitarian assistance are crucial to sustaining developing countries. According to IRIN, local assistance in northern Uganda has played a key role in post-conflict recovery in the Pader and Katakwi …
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Originally posted on Kindle Project and the Pursue blog. Those of us involved in social change efforts may be all too familiar with the refrain, “the impossible will take a little while.” We’re encouraged to have patience and we’re expected to brace ourselves for the reality that we may not be around to see the …
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After months of political pressure, the U.S. government is really starting to get it: local food is the key to a healthy, sustainable future. Back in August, I’d blogged about the floods in Pakistan and the country’s exacerbated food aid crisis following the devastation. The good news is that Rajiv Shah, administrator of the United States …
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