The Canadian Foodgrains Bank was established in 1983 and has supported food, agriculture and nutrition programming in 74 countries. Its primary purpose is to act as a centralized grain banking and distribution system to alleviate food shortages around the world. As of summer 2007 CFGB has supplied 1million tons of food to people coping with hunger all over the world. This is made possible by individual growing projects across Canada including our own Westlock Growing Project. The first growing project in Alberta was established by Neerlandia area farmers and 12 years later there are still 2 projects in the area, one in Westlock and another in Gardenview near Barrhead.

Over the years, much of the proceeds from crops here have gone to support projects in Ethiopia.
Some examples:
1996: The Burka, Aware Berkele Project. A water diversion project initiated by Lutheran World Relief and carried out by Gebreyes Haile in the Oromia region.
In 1997 all members supported food assistance to North Korea in response to widespread flooding and crumbling infrastructure due to the ending of support from the former Soviet Union and China.

1998: On August 21, 1998 it took 65 combines just 15 minutes and 43 seconds to harvest 6322 bushels of wheat off of a quarter section of land just south of Westlock. This not only set a World Record, but also raised awareness of the work carried out by the CFGB and the importance of local projects in contributing to that work.
Again partnering with Canadian Lutheran World Relief, funds were allocated to soil and water conservation and small scale irrigation schemes undertaken by Gebreyes Haile.

1999: Net proceeds of over $66,000 were used to initiate water diversion and irrigation projects in the isolated, drought plagued Afar region in Ethiopia. 700 tonnes of food relief was required on this project, all distributed as Food for Work to complete the project that brought water to the fields and food to families that came from their own fields. The project involved a river diversion in order to facilitate irrigation and provide water to the community.

2000, 2001: In spite of the challenges farmers faced with low commodity prices the CFGB received 1,200 tonnes more grain from prairie farmers creating record levels. Food was shipped to Kenya, Bangladesh, Mongolia and Tanzania with a large commitment to Ethiopia.

2002: $33,000 was deposited from the sale of a successful barley crop and the sale of the straw. Request was made to utilize the funds to support the Burtalle River Water Diversion Project in Ethiopia. As well CFGB helped supply food aid in response to the immediate need created following human conflict and natural disasters to give hungry people the energy to work and rebuild. In Ethiopia the Kucha Emergency Food Aid Project provided corn to 1,484 households facing food shortages, 80% of which was used to pay labourers on food for work projects and 20% was distributed to families that are not able to work.

2003: Famine in Ethiopia saw the need for direct food aid and WGP was able to send $ 50,000 to be matched by CFGB $4 to $1 through their agreements with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). Again, WGP requested that the crop proceeds be used to support an irrigation Development project in the Afar Region of Ethiopia under the direction of Gebreyes Haile and his newly formed NGO - Support for Sustainable Development.

2004: Members of the WGP /CFGB and the Westlock Rotary Club traveled to Ethiopia to see firsthand the legacy of the generosity and labour put forward by the community of Westlock. This year's harvest yielded $ 22,000 for more water and irrigation work in Ethiopia.

2005: CFGB responded to food shortages in Zambia and Eritea, making use of the $20,000 contributed from the WGP's canola crop.
2006: Another successful canola harvest which netted the WGP and ultimately beneficiaries in Zimbabwe, Sudan and Ethiopian irrigation development projects. $20,000 was donated to CFGB.

2007: The Westlock Growing project harvested a ½ section field just east of town. As usual local farmers and businesses were generous in donating seed and treatment, fertilizer and insurance as well as time, machinery and expertise. The result: $40,000 of hope and wellbeing for thousands of people who struggle to produce their own food and are beneficiaries of irrigation projects and agricultural development in their own back yards.

2008: The crop was a record for the WGP. The half section of Canola was sold for $103,250.00! These funds will go toward 4 new irrigation based development projects in Ethiopia. The very successful projects over the years proves that the partnerships between the Westlock Growing Project, Gebreyes Haile's SSD and the Canadian Foodgrains Bank have made permanent changes in the lives of the Afar people and their struggle with poverty and climate change.

"What we are given is God's Gift to us-
What we give is our Gift to God."

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