Over the past year, many of us have experienced disconnection: from our families, from our routines, and from the wider world outside our doors. A picture can transport us to another place. That’s why Feed the Future is excited to announce the winners of our 2021 photo contest and tell our story through photography!
Our partners across the U.S. Government, nonprofit and NGO communities, universities, and businesses submitted more than 100 inspiring photos of Feed the Future in action and all the ways we are working together to end hunger, poverty and malnutrition.
These images capture efforts that are ending hunger, improving resilience and nutrition, investing in local economies, empowering women, working with communities to adapt to climate change and so much more! As you’ll see, we’re helping farmers access new technologies and markets to grow and sell more without using more resources so they can make more while improving nutrition and resilience too.
Over the past decade, Feed the Future has contributed to significant drops in poverty and child stunting in many of the places we work. In areas where we work, 3.4 million more children are living free from stunting and 5.2 million more families are living free from hunger. And since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve been pivoting our programming to protect the progress we’ve made toward a more food-secure future. These pictures give us hope that progress is still possible.
This is the first year we launched our photo contest in partnership with the Water for the World initiative, so be sure to check out their photo contest winners and how they are expanding access for communities and families to safe water and sanitation services.
We will let the photos do the talking now. Keep scrolling for the top picks from our Feed the Future panel of judges and click on each winning photo for more information.
A big congratulations to the winners and thank you to all who participated in our photo contest!
Expanding Market Access in Nepal
Durga Thapa is a farmer from the Jagaruk Cooperative in Nuwakot, Nepal. By partnering with Feed the Future, Durga is able to sell her quality produce for fair prices at the cooperative’s collection center and vegetable outlet in Chhahare, Nepal, and has gained access to other markets. During Nepal’s COVID-19 lockdown, Feed the Future linked 30 trader and cooperative partners with online delivery companies, like Kheti and Munaa, to ensure farmers like Durga had market access for their produce while also meeting the vegetable demand of families in and around Kathmandu valley. Photo by: Robic Upadhayay, Feed the Future Nepal Knowledge-Based Integrated Sustainable Agriculture in Nepal (KISAN) II
Ntabas Logal delivers a gallon of milk to the Mt. Marsabit Women’s collection point in Karare, Kenya, where Rosemary Lesintele receives it. After buying milk from community members, the group stores it and sells it on their behalf. Thanks to Feed the Future, which trained the group on proper milk hygiene and business diversification, the group has been able to increase profit, including through the sale of cow’s milk and milk by-products like fermented milk and ghee. Photo by: David Mutua, ACDI/VOCA
A Mother Feeds Her Daughter Yogurt in Bangladesh
In Bangladesh, a mother feeds her daughter yogurt prepared at home. Feed the Future promotes the equitable consumption of animal-source foods, especially milk, dairy products and meat, through courtyard sessions with local community agents and by integrating nutrition messaging into private sector service delivery. Photo by: ACDI/VOCA via the Feed the Future Bangladesh Livestock Production for Improved Nutrition Activity
Farming Fortified Beans in Rwanda
To sustainably increase smallholder farmer income, improve nutrition and strengthen climate resilience, Feed the Future introduced high-iron beans across Rwanda. Since 2017, Feed the Future has worked with agro-dealers, farmers, seed multipliers and government stakeholders to increase the production and consumption of these beans in Rwanda. In this photo, the iron-rich beans are sorted by cooperative members in Bugesera. Photo by: Herve Irankunda, CNFA, USAID Feed the Future Rwanda Hinga Weze Activity
For the past 40 years, 65 families have run Xelac Dairy, a milk-producing cooperative in Guatemala’s Western Highlands. They produce more than 50 products – including a range of cheeses, fresh milk and yogurt. USAID helped the cooperative invest in machinery repairs, reviewed the profitability of their products, and developed a marketing plan to identify where new sales routes could be opened to increase revenues. Improved production and improved marketing mean the next generation of cooperative members can continue the successes of their parents. Photo Credit: Alejandro Garcia, Zelac Dairy, USAID Creating Economic Opportunities Project
In Cambodia, Feed the Future awards grants to private companies to help solve challenges faced by horticulture buyers, suppliers, input firms and other service providers. Through Feed the Future’s Horticultural Solutions grant program, Laey Baitong, a safe vegetable supplier, promotes organic vegetables by improving the supply chain and establishing franchise retail outlets. These activities strengthen access to quality products for Cambodian consumers. Photo by: Solina Kong, Feed the Future Cambodia Harvest II
Josephine Mukabarayavuga has been an employee for five years at the Abasenga winery in Rwanda’s Ngoma District. Catholic brothers run this facility that produces wine from pineapples. Through the John Ogonowski and Doug Bereuter Farmer-to-Farmer Program, American farming volunteers have trained the owners on developing a business plan to expand and secure employment for workers like Josephine. Photo by: Sam Phelps, Catholic Relief Services
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