Alleycat Acres organize bike trips in support of African agriculture

Feb 23rd, 2012 10:19 AM UTC
By Emily Walker

While some people might not immediately associate ONE’s poverty-fighting mission with bicycling, an upcoming project might just prove otherwise.

Food can be a powerful vehicle for social and environmental change, and issues we see facing farmers across the world are issues we also face here on the home front — issues created because of the inequalities in the global food system. Indeed, we are all in this together. And together we can make a difference.

A bike ride. Photo credit: Alleycat Acres

ONE is partnering with Alleycat Acres, an urban farm with three locations in Seattle, Wash., as part of its effort to join with the local food movement here in the United States to raise awareness of the poverty-fighting power of agriculture in Africa.

SEE ALSO: Use your legs and lungs to advocate

On Saturday, March 3rd, a group of more than 100 riders will begin at one of Alleycat Acres’ urban farms in Seattle and ride the scenic 35 miles together to the United People’s Farm (UPF) in Auburn, Wash.

The riders will have lunch and meet with farmers and program directors who run the UPF farm incubator program, which is currently working with Somali refugee families to grow and market organic produce. After lunch, riders will depart back to Seattle, where a closing dinner and celebration will be held.

The ride will help to raise $25,000 for Alleycat Acres, while merging local and global perspectives within the context of agriculture, connecting both urban and rural farmers. The ride will also support a sister organization working in Africa and use local resources to raise awareness about famine and extreme poverty that can be eliminated through agricultural reform and shared resources.

Throughout Africa and the developing world, farmers are striving to provide healthy meals for their communities –- though most are doing so while living on less than $1.25 a day, without adequate training, supplies or access to market. There are still countless farmers, the majority of whom are women, in need of the resources and skills that will enable them to grow nutritious, bountiful crops to feed their families and neighbors. With farming employing nearly two-thirds of the population of sub-Saharan Africa, a focus on training farmers and providing them with sustainable agriculture skills has the potential to move millions out of extreme poverty and onto the path to a financially sufficient and stable life.

We would love to have some of our ONE members get involved with event, or to participate in the ride! To find out more, head to the Alleycat Acres website.

TAGS: Agriculture, From ONE Members, From Our Partners, ONE