His Ideas are Growing on People Across the Country

Ray standing in a field.

One of the greatest strengths of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank—one of the Canadian International Development Agency’s long-term partners—has always been the support received from rural communities across Canada. Communities and churches have come together to form growing projects that produce crops that are then donated to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank.

The Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB) has been looking for ways to connect urban and rural folk in their mission to end hunger. One volunteer, Ray Baloun from Minnedosa, Manitoba, has found a unique way to engage urban people across Canada and North America in farming.

At a CFGB information meeting three years ago, Ray, a grain elevator manager by trade, started scribbling notes on a napkin during his lunch break on how members of the Evangelical Covenant Church of Canada, of which Ray sits on the board, could become “virtual farmers” and support the CFGB. He started by approaching a farmer in Norquay, Saskatchewan to farm 37 acres of wheat for the CFGB. He then pitched his idea at the national annual conference of the church, and asked people to sponsor an acre for $160 to cover the costs of inputs, land rents and other expenses. It was a great success. By the end of the weekend, over 37 acres were sold!

These virtual farmers received a Canadian Wheat Board permit book for their acre of land, which provided information of where the proceeds would be used. These donors were key in helping to provide food to Liberians returning to their homes from internally displaced people camps. The bumper wheat crop was harvested in the fall and 92 metric tonnes of wheat, valued at nearly $14,000, was donated to the CFGB.

“One kernel of wheat can’t do much on its own,” says Ray Baloun. “One person can’t do much on his or her own. But when you add all those seeds and all those people together, you know that there is a huge difference being made for those in need.”

The next year, Ray decided to up the ante and farm three fields, one in each prairie province. Again the project was successful, selling over 130 acres to farmers across Canada and donating $38,000 to help end hunger. As of summer 2007, 4 new fields have been planted for a total of 202 acres.

Recently, Ray had an opportunity to visit CFGB projects in Malawi and Zimbabwe. “When I was there,” he says, “I saw the efficiency that the implementing partners of the Foodgrains Bank used in making the very most of the resources that Canadians are providing. The efforts are very helpful for the local communities and very much appreciated.”

Together, the Government of Canada and the Canadian Foodgrains Bank have been feeding hungry people and saving lives around the world for twenty-five years. The Canadian International Development Agency’s support to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank is helping to purchase and distribute food to ease the suffering of people in emergency and chronic hunger situations worldwide.