Kansas Profile: Growing Hope Globally supports agricultural development around the world

The Power of Growing Hope Globally

A Unique Congregation in a Cornfield

The congregation is in place as the pastor says a prayer. But there are no pews or stained glass windows in sight. In fact, this service doesn’t take place inside a church building — it takes place in a cornfield.

This congregation is saying a blessing over a plot of farm ground from which the proceeds will be used to support a global initiative helping farmers in developing nations fight hunger.

Supporting Agricultural Development for a Hunger-Free World

Kaylyn Morse is regional director for Growing Hope Globally, a Christian nonprofit organization working to support agricultural development in developing nations around the world. Kaylyn is a Colorado native.

In 2022, she joined Growing Hope Globally. Morse explained that the organization began in 1999 with some Ohio corn farmers who wanted to do something to fight world hunger, so they figured they would ship some of their corn overseas.

They learned two things: One, the cost of shipping was 10 times the value of their grain. And two, dumping grain in those countries would disrupt markets for local farmers.

They sought a more constructive solution. They recognized that the long-term solution to fight hunger would be to support agricultural development — specifically, to help local farmers improve their production — in these developing countries. They formed an organization that would use U.S.-raised crop proceeds to support agricultural development overseas.

This organization is now known as Growing Hope Globally. Among other things, it operates through locally sponsored “Growing Projects” that raise funds for international work.

Local Projects Making a Global Impact

The international ag development programs are operated by partner organizations such as Catholic Relief Services, Lutheran World Relief, Mennonite Central Committee, Presbyterian Church USA, United Methodist Committee on Relief, and more.

An example of a local growing project is one begun by Kansas farmers Paul and Rosie Guetterman in 2001. They farm near the rural community of Bucyrus, population 171 people. Now, that’s rural.

“We were very impressed because (Growing Hope Globally) was not a handout, but a teaching program,” Rosie Guetterman said. The Guettermans joined with friends and family to establish a growing project to support Growing Hope Globally.

This has become a multi-generational project. Paul and Rosie’s sons and grandchildren have joined the farm and continue to support Growing Hope Globally each year.

As regional director, Morse is responsible for this and other growing projects in four central U.S. states. She hopes to see these expand. Growing projects are sponsored by churches, farmers, FFA chapters and other groups.

Morse said she seeks to match funders with projects that align with funder goals. She also leads U.S. groups to see overseas projects, and vice versa.

Empowering Farmers and Communities

Overseas, Morse is responsible for agricultural development activities in the Caribbean, and Central and South America. “In those countries, our partners support local organizations with local staff to do the training for farmers,” Morse said. “They work together, hands on with the farmers on farmer field schools and demonstration plots.”

Some projects include cooperative marketing or saving and lending communities.

“Agricultural development is our focus, but community development is embedded in this,” Morse said. “We get into issues about water, sanitation, small business, empowerment of women and other things.”

She is proud of the impactful, long-term results of these projects. “We estimate that the Bucyrus project alone has helped more than 22,000 people,” Morse said.

Contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals

Growing Hope Globally currently has 109 growing projects in 19 states. Along with other funders, these projects are supporting 45 agricultural development programs in 31 countries. Those programs are now helping more than 200,000 people find lasting solutions to hunger.

Conclusion

It’s time to leave the cornfield where the pastor concludes his prayer with a blessing of the seed and a call for a fruitful harvest.

We commend Kaylyn Morse, the Guetterman family, and all those involved with Growing Hope Globally for making a difference in the lives of people around the world.

They are not just raising crops. They are raising hope.

For more information, see www.growinghopeglobally.org.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 2: Zero Hunger
• SDG 1: No Poverty
• SDG 5: Gender Equality
• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

The article discusses the efforts of Growing Hope Globally, a Christian nonprofit organization, to support agricultural development in developing nations and fight hunger. These efforts are directly connected to SDG 2: Zero Hunger, as the organization aims to improve agricultural production and support local farmers in developing countries. Additionally, by addressing poverty and promoting economic growth through agricultural development, the organization also contributes to SDG 1: No Poverty and SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth. The mention of empowerment of women and community development in the article also aligns with SDG 5: Gender Equality and SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation. Lastly, the organization collaborates with various partner organizations, indicating a commitment to SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 2.3: By 2030, double the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers, in particular women, indigenous peoples, family farmers, pastoralists, and fishers, including through secure and equal access to land, other productive resources and inputs, knowledge, financial services, markets, and opportunities for value addition and non-farm employment.
• SDG 1.4: By 2030, ensure that all men and women, in particular, the poor and the vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to basic services, ownership, and control over land and other forms of property, inheritance, natural resources, appropriate new technology, and financial services, including microfinance.
• SDG 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic, and public life.
• SDG 6.1: By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all.
• SDG 8.3: Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity, and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to financial services.
• SDG 17.16: Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology, and financial resources, to support the achievement of the sustainable development goals in all countries, in particular, developing countries.

Based on the article’s content, the specific targets that can be identified include doubling agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers (SDG 2.3), ensuring equal rights to economic resources and access to financial services (SDG 1.4), promoting women’s participation and leadership (SDG 5.5), achieving universal access to safe drinking water (SDG 6.1), promoting decent job creation and entrepreneurship (SDG 8.3), and enhancing global partnerships for sustainable development (SDG 17.16).

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator 2.3.1: Volume of production per labor unit by classes of farming/pastoral/forestry enterprise size
• Indicator 1.4.2: Proportion of total adult population with secure tenure rights to land, with legally recognized documentation, and who perceive their rights to land as secure, by sex and type of tenure
• Indicator 5.5.1: Proportion of seats held by women in (a) national parliaments and (b) local governments
• Indicator 6.1.1: Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water services
• Indicator 8.3.1: Proportion of informal employment in non-agriculture employment, by sex
• Indicator 17.16.1: Number of countries reporting progress in multi-stakeholder development effectiveness monitoring frameworks that support the achievement of the sustainable development goals

The article does not explicitly mention specific indicators. However, based on the identified targets, the following indicators can be used to measure progress: volume of production per labor unit (Indicator 2.3.1), proportion of the population with secure tenure rights to land (Indicator 1.4.2), proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments and local governments (Indicator 5.5.1), proportion of the population using safely managed drinking water services (Indicator 6.1.1), proportion of informal employment in non-agriculture employment (Indicator 8.3.1), and number of countries reporting progress in multi-stakeholder development effectiveness monitoring frameworks (Indicator 17.16.1).

4. SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Table

Source: themercury.com