Monsanto Canada has donated $60,000 worth of farm inputs to Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB) growing projects his year.

Community growing projects are a unique way for people to contribute grain and other agricultural commodities to help people who are hungry around the world. A typical project involves a group of people working together to farm a common plot of land. After harvest, the production is donated to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank for use in overseas food aid and agricultural development projects managed by its 15-member agencies.

“As a company 100 per cent focused on agriculture, we look for opportunities to give back to rural communities and rural residents through our corporate giving program,” said Trish Jordan, public affairs director with Monsanto Canada, in a release.

Working co-operatively with the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, Monsanto Canada area sales managers and their teams in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario, went through the list of established and new growing projects provided by the Canadian Foodgrains Bank and were able to co-ordinate access to Genuity Roundup Ready technology, Roundup brand agricultural herbicides, DEKALB seed and other Monsanto products for use in 86 different community growing projects. A total of 31 projects are being supported in Ontario, with the remaining 55 projects covering the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.

Last year, the Canadian Foodgrains Bank approved 116 projects worth $44 million in 36 countries to help over two million people. That included over $15 million for Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia, three countries struck by last year’s severe food shortage in East Africa.