125 S Lexington Ave, Suite 101 - 11, Asheville, NC 28801
SEED PROGRAMS INTERNATIONAL
Food security is important for everyone, everywhere, and in every context.
Our work catalyzes sustainable change.
Seed Programs International works cohesively and collaboratively with our partners to utilize and grow their local capacity so they can lead sustainable change and foster resilient livelihoods. Read below to learn more about our primary areas of focus.
Women in Agriculture
Women farmers produce more than 50% of food within developing nations, yet own less than 2% of land and have limited access to quality seed, improved technologies, agricultural resources, and training. Studies show that for every dollar a woman makes, 90% goes back into the community, in comparison to only 30-40% for men. This means more money reinvested into health, education, and other household-level needs that improve livelihood indicators. By working with women’s groups, we aim to improve their access to agricultural resources to open their path to empowerment, income, and food security.
Photo: Taaru Askan and Tostal International in Senegal.
Crisis Recovery
Crisis caused by conflict, climate change, and poverty is prevalent throughout the world. Global displacement is at an all-time high, with 100 million people displaced. Most disaster responses focus on short-term needs: shelter, food and medicine. While critical, this approach must be supplemented with medium-term recovery plans to rebuild lives. By working on vegetable-growing programs for crisis relief, we aim to bring stability to the lives of our program participants and enable sustainable and resilient livelihoods that are self-sufficient and not dependent on aid.
Photo: Preserve International in Uganda.
School Gardens
School gardens grow vegetables and future leaders to counter hunger and poverty in their communities. In many locations, a garden-supported school lunch is the only healthy meal of the day and motivates parents to keep their kids in school. Our school garden programs teach food literacy and healthy eating habits, enrich the learning environment, and provide nutritious lunches for students in the US and around the globe.
Photo: Sustainable Community Initiative for Empowerment (SCINE) in Uganda.
Charitable Gardens
In the US, 38 million people are food insecure. Charitable gardening programs promote agricultural literacy and distribute nutritious food to people struggling with hunger. By partnering with charitable gardening programs we aim to improve food security domestically.
Photo: Conscious Alliance and Chicago Grows Food in USA.
Agricultural Resilience
As climates continue to change, sustainable agricultural practices can be complicated to develop and maintain. Our programs aim to incorporate climate-smart agriculture strategies to counter environmental fluctuations. This can range from utilizing water infrastructure in drought prone areas to incorporating agroforestry or greenhouses in areas with extreme rainfall. Our programs aim to reduce food waste by accepting donations of seed that would otherwise be discarded and utilizing technologies to preserve food and prevent spoiling. Our programs work with what is available locally. If land is limited, then sac or urban gardening techniques can be incorporated into the program. By considering environmental, economic, and societal factors, we aim to create sustainable and resilient agricultural practices.
Photo: Grow East Africa in Ethiopia.
Are you interested in partnering with SPI?
If so, Click the link below to visit our Apply To Be A Partner page.
Seed Programs International is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates globally.
Our EIN/Tax ID is 56-2092576. Thank you for your support!
