967 farming families receive 250 tons of nutritious animal feed during the COVID-19 crisis

Small scale poultry producers in Mexico are among the many farmers around the globe facing numerous challenges when the country’s government implemented a health emergency plan in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. A reduction in commercial sales meant a decrease in income for many farmers; closed communities to properly quarantine made it hard for project staff to support farmers; and increased input costs of 15% to 20% resulted in many farmers unable to afford feed for their cattle and poultry.

Heifer Mexico worked with Cargill Mexico to facilitate a donation of Purina feed to help farmers through this difficult time. The donation consisted of 250 tons of nutritious feed for 967 farming families in the states of Oaxaca, Chiapas, Puebla and Yucatan. This donation provided participants of Hatching Hope and other Heifer Mexico projects enough feed to care for their animals for up to two months. The two Hatching Hope partners provided the means to ensure livestock production and consumption continued for both economic stability and dependable protein options for community members.

Now that communities are reopening and these families have this support, they are able to improve their production and take advantage of more business opportunities that will enable them to close their income gap. Heifer will continue to work with these farmers to provide direct technical assistance that will increase their production and, as a result, their access to nutritious protein.

Through the Hatching Hope project, Heifer and Cargill will work together to support more than 700 families at a time when they need it most. Despite COVID-19 creating obstacles for farmers, the project’s activities provide hope for families to overcome them.

In addition to supporting Hatching Hope farmer, this donation was distributed to the broader farming community in Mexico. In early September, 90 tons were delivered to the ISTMO of Tehuantepec, Valles Centrales and Costa de Oaxaca. The remaining 160 tons were delivered between September 17 and 24 to Zongozotla, Totutla, Huehuetla, Tuzamapan de Galeana, Xochitlan de Vicente Suarez, Hueitlalpan, Nauzontla Zoquiapan and Zapotitlan de Mendez, Puebla and Chiapas.