In all the communities we serve, our Grow-Package-Sustainability (GPS) program serves as a response to addressing hunger and food insecurity. The mission of the GPS program is to partner with the local farmers and other interested individuals, to teach our locals how to grow their food, but not stop there, we then partner with them to package their goods locally, and then show them how to sustain it. We will help as well as show those willing to use this platform to create small businesses where they can sell to their fellow community members and even expand to other communities.
We believe that if every rural community we serve can be guided to Food Production and Sustainability through this GPS program the source of their hunger can be elevated. We also believe that the GPS program is now ready to be launched in several Caribbean countries where we are engaged. The GPS program includes the provision of seeds for planting as well as, the teaching of how to conserve the land being used and balance both the environment as well as create sustainability for the food being produced.
Services
Join us in our response to address Food, Hunger, and Sustainability in the vulnerable communities we serve.
The
Barilla Centre for Food and Nutrition describes Sustainable agriculture as “the efficient production of safe, healthy, and high-quality agricultural products, in a way that is environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable.” (
https://www.barillacfn.com/en/)
Understanding the ways to keep the agricultural produce grown in the rural communities as well as preserving and sustaining can make a tremendous change and difference in the lives of many rural communities that depend on it. The Peter Uba Foundation’s
“GPS” program addresses these issues in the communities we serve
through:
a) Education - Most growers are learning:
- how to get a better yield once they have the fresh yield from their….
- how to package them to create value, and
- how to sustain it.
We are positioned to educate these communities on how to add value to their yield. Next, we teach them how to sell the products to the local restaurants and end-user markets in their communities.
Once the value-added structures are implemented and we believe that we can create small local businesses among the communities that we serve. Our specially trained horticulturists and volunteers will support these activities by identifying individuals in the community to go through the numerous programs we offer.
The trends are well documented that many supermarkets are working with community growers to supply them with many products and this fits our GPS program through the match-making and adoption division of our GPS program where we match growers with the local businesses to sustain and support their efforts making it a value-added partnership.
b) Farmer Match-Making & Adoption
The Peter Uba Foundation works with partners and stakeholders on the ground including other local farmers, supermarkets, and local businesses in match-making and adopting up-and-coming farmers who have gone through our program and are ready to move to the next step. They are mentored and supported in their new venture.
c) The Foundation works with community members to access livestock such as chickens, goats, ducks, pigs, cows, etc to provide eggs, dairy, meat, etc. This livestock also creates an opportunity for individuals and families to harvest and sell their resources at local markets or from their homes for income to take care of and maintain their family needs.
These Steps all engender sustainability as the end result. Farmers learn to be self-sufficient and gain added value for their hard work, locals learn how to farm for their family’s sustenance and find out how to live on their harvesting and livestock.
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