Engaging Governments

Over 70 percent of people who experience hunger are small-scale farmers. We encourage the Canadian government to maintain strong support for agriculture in developing countries, which is a critical step for reducing hunger and poverty, empowering women, and creating a fairer world for all. We also work with other Canadian aid organizations to advocate for a central role for food security within Canada’s development program.

Canada is a major food assistance donor noted for its responsive approach to helping people facing immediate hunger. We continue to work with Canadian officials to ensure that all Canadian food assistance is as effective as possible. We also work with aid organizations from Canada, the US and Europe to improve and strengthen international agreements about food assistance.

Our partners in developing countries tell us that small family farms are facing new challenges in adapting to the effects of climate change, including flooding, drought and hurricanes. There is an urgent need to help these farmers adapt and to improve aid and other policies to support farmers in these efforts.

The right to food is recognized in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. National governments have a duty to respect this right in their own actions, to protect the right from the actions of others, and to fulfill the right for their citizens. We promote the human right to food with Canadian government officials and among other Canadian aid organizations.

Find advocacy and public policy resources related to global hunger.