UN FOOD PROGRAMME AND CARGILL PARTNER UP IN CHINA TO HELP CORN FARMERS

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the global agribusiness player Cargill have launched a three-year pilot in Songyuan, in China’s Jilin province, designed to improve corn farmer’s livelihoods and risk management skills.

Called the Holistic Agriculture Risk Management Project, Cargill has contributed $1 million (€846.7m) to WFP to reduce and mitigate the risks that corn farmers face and help them achieve food security while also enhancing resilience at the community level.

Sixi Qu, the UN Food Programme’s representative in China, commented: “We have a shared vision to promote sustainable food systems by helping reduce vulnerability to shocks. Assisting corn farmers with risk management skills and sustainable practices is an important aspect of this partnership. Cargill’s contribution enables us to increase farmers’ productivity and income, and make the food system more resilient.”

UN and Cargill support a financial risk transfer approach

The project aims to defend against shocks through the application of what Cargill calls an “innovative financial risk transfer approach” which combines insurance and futures while also promoting sustainable agriculture practice to the cultivation of corn.

In addition, the initiative will provide regular training for local corn farmers each year to promote holistic agricultural risk management in the corn industry. President of Cargill China, Jerry Liu, said: “As the company celebrates the 50th anniversary of its operations in China this year, the project marks a milestone in Cargill’s journey.

“The UN Food Programme and Cargill have partnered globally to help farmers, and I am thrilled that we are extending that partnership in China. This intervention will bring considerable value to the corn industry in Songyuan and north eastern China.”

Cargill has worked with WFP USA on a global basis since 2001, supporting health and nutrition projects in Africa, Central and South America, and Asia.

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