Tomatoes and lettuce in the middle of a desert?
DFID - UK Department for International Development posted a photo:
Thirty-eight-year-old Ramata Hama harvests some of her vegetables that have been grown as part of her local gardening group in western Niger.
Diversifying household livelihoods and crop production is one way to help bring alternative food items to the table during a food crisis.
World Vision has joined forces with DFID’s UK aid Match scheme, which matches pound for pound public donations to charity appeals for projects which tackle global poverty. The money raised will help provide communities like Ramata's with food and an income for the next two years.
"Off-seasonal market gardening, like you can see here, can really help a community get back on their feet and put food on the table during a crisis," says Derek Markwell, one of DFID's humanitarian programme managers.
"Not only does it provide fresh, nutrient-rich produce, it also provides a welcome income for families when times are hard.
"The first time I saw it in action I thought, ‘This shouldn’t work, surely? Tomatoes and lettuce growing in the middle of the desert?' But it really does! The enthusiasm and perseverance of the community really makes it a success. It’s amazing to see. Something so small can really make a big difference to a family struggling to make ends meet."
Background
World Humanitarian Day is a chance to celebrate and acknowledge the work of aid workers across the world, often risking their lives for the sake of others. Although World Humanitarian Day lasts for only 24 hours, the work of aid workers responding to natural disasters and food crises does not.
To find out more about World Humanitarian Day 2012, visit www.dfid.gov.uk/whd2012
To find out more about UK aid Match, visit www.difd.gov.uk/ukaidmatch
Picture: World Vision/Mike Goldwater