Burke's Fundraiser for Aduyon: Food Sovereignty Through Mutual Help in the Philippines

Global Seed Savers is an educational and advocacy international nonprofit organization supporting Filipino smallholder farmers in creating local food sovereignty and fostering a healthy environment through technical training and the establishment of community-owned and operated seed libraries.

This is a cause that is near to my heart, as I worked and lived with my family in the Philippines for several years, with a dedication to global public health issues. I am also the (somewhat) new US Board President of Global Seed Savers!

Earlier this year Global Seed Savers launched our Adyuon Initiative (Aduyon is an Ibaloi word meaning mutual help or mutual aid) to provide communities access to sustainable farmer-produced food and seeds. We started this effort in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, which shut down supply chains, left smallhold farmers unable to sell their products, and resulted in the country’s most vulnerable in urban areas with less access to fresh, healthy food.

So far the Aduyon Initiative has:

• Delivered over 720,000 lbs of vegetables
• Reached over 50,000 families in the vulnerable areas of Metro Manila and provided access to food
• Maintained the livelihood of over 500 farmers from 6 municipalities in Benguet Province: Tublay, Atok, Buguias, Kapangan, Kabayan and Kibungan
• Created daily wage jobs for 70 individual vegetable packers
• Sold over 15M Philippine Pesos (nearly $300,000 USD) of vegetables

The Aduyon Initiative is now blossoming into a long-term recovery effort focused on sustainability for expanded food security and seed sovereignty. Communities are realizing the importance of growing their own food and having access to locally produced seeds. We are working with local partners to offer urban gardening kits and education, in addition to expanding our programs on seed saving, seed libraries, and technical education.

I know this request competes with many important social justice efforts, urgent political campaigns, and other Covid-19 response and relief causes. I ask that you give as much as you can, knowing that cumulative small gifts can make a huge impact!

Maraming salamat!

• Burke Fishburn