The humble egg is making a difference in the life of thousands of people in Swaziland
The International Egg Foundation and Egg Farmers of Canada is proud to announce that the first flock of laying hens has arrived at Heart for Africa multi-commodity farm
OTTAWA, January 20, 2016 – January marks a major milestone for a flagship agriculture development project supported by Egg Farmers of Canada (EFC) and the International Egg Foundation (IEF) in Swaziland. The newly built egg laying operation at Project Canaan welcomed its first flock of pullets this month.
The egg barns, built in partnership with the non-for-profit organization Heart for Africa as part of their larger development initiative, will deliver thousands of nutritious eggs to orphaned children. This will enhance Heart for Africa’s existing feeding program which already delivers 74,000 hand-packed meals each month to rural communities through a network of 30 churches.
The partnership between Egg Farmers of Canada and Heart for Africa was announced in late 2014 and since then, volunteer leaders and farmers from the Canadian egg industry have helped locals build the entire egg farm from the ground up. The project team is also teaching Heart for Africa staff and Swazi locals the farming practices commonly used throughout Canada so they can establish a long-term strategy to sustain
the operation over time.
“When we first heard about Heart for Africa, we recognized an opportunity for the humble egg and knew we wanted to be involved,” said Tim Lambert, Chief Executive Officer at Egg Farmers of Canada.“With 6 grams of high-quality protein and fourteen essential vitamins and nutrients, eggs are the perfect food to feed a hungry world. Egg Farmers of Canada, through the International Egg Foundation, is proud to be part of this project.”
Sustainable agriculture is crucial for countries experiencing food insecurity and malnutrition. Egg farming is a perfect way to ensure protein and vitamins are incorporated into the diet of undernourished people anywhere in the world. “This egg farm will serve as a showcase for other developing countries and regions afflicted by malnutrition and hunger,” said Julian Madeley, Managing Director of the International Egg Foundation.
“When organizations like Heart for Africa and Egg Farmers of Canada partner with local farmers, the diets, wellbeing and outcomes for populations can be improved greatly. Eggs in particular, given the efficiency of hens and scalability of operations, can have an incredible impact in terms of nutrition and sustainable food supply.”
The initiative is expected to positively impact thousands of people living in the region by providing high-quality protein that is essential for human growth and development.
About the International Egg Foundation
The International Egg Foundation (IEF) is an independent charity established by the International Egg Commission (IEC) in 2014. Operating in the truest sense of Corporate Social Responsibility, our purpose is to increase egg production and egg consumption in developing countries, to provide undernourished infants, children and families with an independent, sustainable, high quality protein supply and to help boost their natural immunity levels. For more information on IEF, please visit internationaleggfoundation.com.
About Heart for Africa
Heart for Africa is a faith-based humanitarian organization focused on bringing hope to the people of Swaziland by focusing in the areas of Hunger, Orphans, Poverty and Education through a 2,500 acre farm called Project Canaan. Our goal is to develop a financially self-sustainable farm that provides training and employment for the Swazi people, as well as providing a home for abandoned babies who will live, grow and be educated on Project Canaan so they can become the future leaders of this tiny Kingdom.
About Egg Farmers of Canada
Now in its fifth decade as one of Canada’s leading agriculture organizations, Egg Farmers of Canada manages the national egg supply and promotes egg consumption while representing the interests of regulated egg producers from coast to coast.