The Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB) two-week long learning tour to Nepal has come to an end, and 13 Canadians are now making the long journey home. 
    
One of their last farm stops of the trip took them to a Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) project run in conjunction with the Rural Institute of Community Development (RICOD), which works with local groups to improve food security and nutrition with a focus on children and young mothers. MCC is an implementing partner of the CFGB in Nepal. 

Sustainable farming practices is a big part of that work, and that includes crop diversification. 

"Because that leads to more resilience in their farming practices," explained Luke Jantzi, MCC's country representative in Nepal. "Especially as the community's here are starting to deal with the effect of climate change and the uncertainty that brings. Having additional crops and different kinds of crops allows them to move between crop and hopefully, some of them will work well even at times when other may be more challenging."

Durga is MCC's program coordinator in Nepal. While most families grow food for their own consumption, he says they also sell the excess in order to earn an income that helps to pay for things like gas money, education for their children or healthcare.

Despite this, Durga says hunger and malnutrition remains among many Nepalese children. That's why MCC and the CFGB promote something called Super Flour is widely used for meals, and the Canadian delegation got to try it for themselves. 

"Super Flour was specially invented here in Nepal," noted Durga. "It is made of three measured grains. It's mostly maize, wheat and soybeans, one-third of each. They roast it first and then grind it, mix it and cook it with some flavours like salt or sugar. It's very fine flour and soft food for the young children, and with all of the carbohydrates and proteins, it helps young children to have good food for good nourishment. It is very much used in Nepal and that has helped a lot to overcome malnourishment in the country."

And while we are all navigating challenges in our own lives, Jantzi urges us to continue considering people around the world. 

"(Those) who are marginalized and who have significant needs, and we do appreciate all of the generosity that we see from Canadians."

With files from Betty Sawatzky