Goats & Goals: Convoy’s Center for Agriculture & Food Security
Spring in the U.S. is the time of year when grass grows greener, flowers start to bloom, and people plan and prepare their gardens.
This spring, Convoy of Hope’s Center for Agriculture & Food Security (CAFS) is in the thick of preparing the gardens; taking care of the chickens, goats, and bees; and ensuring that our Agriculture programming participants all over the world have the resources and education they need to thrive.
Goats & Kids
Currently, Convoy’s CAFS farm hosts 16 goats — including five adorable baby goats, or kids. Convoy’s CAFS team keeps goats at the farm for the same reason the farm exists: to resource, demonstrate, and train.
When a person or family participates in Convoy’s Agriculture programming, they have the option to have a goat herd. Goats provide families with essential nutrition and the opportunity to make an income by selling milk, cheese, and butter. When combined with Convoy of Hope’s agriculture intervention program, goats can also be the first step in helping families and communities build a path toward sustainability.
Hosting goats at the CAFS farm ensures our Agriculture participants have the best research, demonstration, and training in goat herd health and management.
Something’s Buzzing at the Farm
In a far corner of the CAFS property, 10 beehives sit beside a large patch of wildflowers. A local bee expert manages the hives. Bees are excellent pollinators. They help maintain healthy plant populations, boosting the productivity of gardens and improving biodiversity.
Gardens & High Tunnels
Convoy’s Agriculture programming looks different depending on the needs of the person or family. When it comes to small-plot farming, the crops are determined by what grows best in the region, what the family will eat, and what will store best after harvest.
Currently, our CAFS team is preparing the ground for field crops and prepping the small-plot farms used primarily by schools and families of four.
In the high tunnels, cabbage, broccoli, kale, lettuce, spinach, tatsoi, carrots, and more were started as seedlings back in January. Now they’re in the ground — some even ready for harvest. In Missouri — where Convoy’s Global Headquarters & Training Center is located — high tunnels give about 10 months of growing season.
The tunnels are common in places like Nepal, where the weather shifts widely and monsoon season brings heavy, crop-damaging rainfall.
For farmers in countries like Nepal, high tunnel farming is a game changer.
2030 Goals
Currently, CAFS is farming on 25 acres of land. By 2030, Convoy will farm on all 80 acres of the property, which will expand our collaboration capabilities and enable us to lean more heavily into the research components of agriculture.
Volunteer Opportunities
Convoy offers several volunteer opportunities at the CAFS farm. Every Tuesday and Thursday morning from 8:30 to 11 and every Tuesday evening from 6 to 8, volunteers help our team with planting, cultivating, harvesting, and more.
Convoy’s Center for Agriculture & Food Security also offers tours, training, and volunteer opportunities for community groups, clubs, and schools.
Click here to learn more.
