WattAgNet: IEC highlights African initiatives for World Egg Day

Raising egg production in Southern Africa to help eliminate hunger
Release Date: 2014-09-29
World Egg Day will take place on October 10. As part of the 2014 World Egg Day celebrations, the International Egg Commission (IEC) is highlighting the work of the International Egg Foundation (IEF), which was created earlier this year to help provide those in developing countries to have greater access to eggs as part of its goal to combat malnutrition and gain access to a sustainable diet.

The IEF is working with charity Heart for Africa and supporting an orphanage in Swaziland by distributing hard cooked eggs to children. The project, part of Heart for Africa’s Project Canaan, will also fund and oversee the construction of an egg farm to provide a sustainable source of food for the orphanage and for the local community.

The IEC also notes that the IEF is working with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, sharing knowledge and technical expertise with national egg organizations in Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

“As well as providing access to food, small scale egg production schemes have been proven to help people in developing countries achieve financial independence, increase their social standing, and encourage a sense of community. The IEF works from the ground roots up, to create a sustainable, self-sufficient food supply,” said Julian Madeley, managing director of the International Egg Foundation.