The Rural Voice, 2002-01, Page 37Ontario beans bound
for Afghanistan
The Great Canadian Bean
Company of Ailsa Craig, W. G.
Thompson & Sons of Blenheim and
Hensall District Co-op of Hensall
have been awarded contracts by
Canadian Foodgrains Bank to supply
a total of 140 tonnes of red kidney
beans for a food -aid shipment to
Afghanistan in January 2002.
"Ontario farmers have an excellent
reputation for producing quality
beans and we are seeing more and
more Ontario firms actively
marketing and exporting these local
crops," saki David Mayberry, Ontario
Co-ordinator for Canadian
Foodgrains Bank. "These 140 tonnes
are an important part of a 1,000 tonne
shipment of lentils, beans and
chickpeas which are due to leave
Canada early in the new year."
"These firms have been active
supporters of Canadian Foodgrains
Bank and have accepted many
hundreds of tonnes of donated grain
over the years on our behalf," said
Mayberry. "We also have a lot of
rural and urban supporters here in
Ontario and I know they will be
pleased to see Ontario commodities
enroute to make a difference in
people's lives."
The beans will be cleaned, bagged
and transported to Montreal for
further shipment to Bandar Abbas, in
Iran. From there they will be trucked
inland to the Iran -Afghani border,
where a sister organization of the Red
Cross, the Iranian Red Crescent
Society, will do the distribution and
monitoring.
Soybeans donated by Ontario
farmers and growing projects will be
traded for the red kidney beans which
are better suited for the dietary needs.
The other 860 tonnes of beans, lentils
and chickpeas have been sourced in
Western Canada, making this a truly
Canadian response.
The beans will be used as a protein
supplement for Afghani families in
refugee camps. This shipment is the
second phase of a planned 5,000
tonne response. The total program is
anticipated to help feed 400,000
people for up to 6 months. The
News
Ontario beans will help 11,000
people for six months.
"The food is going to farmers,
herders, women and children, who
have fled the bombing and the
prolonged drought," said Mayberry.
"Even with the war ending, there is
little if any food available with the
onset of winter. Food is an excellent
way for Canadians to reach out and
help."
The Canadian International
Development Agency is providing
4:1 matching dollars in support of
this project. Detailed information on
this Afghanistan response is available
at www.foodgrainsbank.ca
Ontario farmers donated over
4,000 tonnes of grain to the
Foodgrains Bank last year.0
Young leaders
developed at Rural
Youth Symposium
Agriculture, health, adult/youth
partnerships, telecommunications,
small business, and youth
involvement in various sectors are
some of the most important topics for
consideration when exploring what
attracts and keeps young people in
rural areas.
That's according to a group of
rural youth who gathered as part of a
youth symposium to discuss the issue
of keeping and attracting youth in
rural communities. The symposium,
held near Orangeville. Ontario on
October 24, was organized by the
Ontario Rural Council (TORC), and
provided a unique opportunity for
young people to talk about rural
issues and develop numerous
recommendations about how to keep
youth connected to their rural roots.
"The youth symposium
demonstrated that there are numerous
young leaders in rural areas who are
enthusiastic about staying in, or
returning to rural communities," says
Kathy Kaye, project co-ordinator.
"This is an excellent example of how
we can Give Voice to Our Future,
enhance youth leadership and form
lasting connections between young
people across the province."
Thirty-nine young people
representing rural areas. including
northern. eastern, central,
southwestern, First Nations. and
Francophone communities
participated in the day -long event.
The participants ranged in age from
17 to 29.
An innovative facilitation
technique called "Open Space"
allowed the participants to self-select
the topics for consideration. The
youth discussed and developed
recommendations for 16 rural topics
during the symposium and noted on
the ones they felt were the most
important.
Participants in the symposium also
took part in TORC's fourth annual
rural development conference held on
October 25 and 26. near Alliston.
Youth participants shared their
symposium recommendations with
conference delegates. Some specific
recommendations include:
• Connect youth to rural community
by improving your youth/adult
partnerships and youth leadership
programs;
• Enhance business opportunities
through agricultural awareness
programs. youth employment
initiatives, and support for small
business endeavors:
• Increase educational opportunities
and improve telecommunications
infrastructure;
• Gain more support for youth
activities in sports, entertainment and
the performing arts to decrease
feelings of isolation.
The Ontario Rural Council brings
together 40 organizations, private
corporations and government
representatives who share a
commitment to building strong rural
organizations and communities. The
Council provides a unique and
important opportunity for multi-
sector co-operation within the rural
community. Members identify issues.
and collaborate to develop innovative
solutions and strength rural voices.
The youth symposium was
supported by Human Resources
Development Canada. The
proceedings and recommendations
from the symposium will be posted
on TORC's website at
www.torc.on.ca 0
JANUARY 2002 33
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