Rural development in action

We recognize our continued success depends on the growth and health of our communities and partners. Cargill's charitable giving efforts reached US $61.1 million for fiscal year 2011. We focus on long-term solutions to health and nutrition, education and environmental issues in partnership with some of the world’s most respected humanitarian organizations. A number of those efforts emphasize women’s contributions to the agricultural value chain because many farmers in developing nations are women. Our corporate contributions are supplemented by our individual business units and employee-led fundraising and volunteer efforts through Cargill Cares Councils around the world.  

Rural development examples

• Global. A U.S. 10 million donation over five years to CARE is helping 100,000 people in rural areas lift themselves out of poverty in India, Brazil, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Honduras and Guatemala.
• Cargill donated $3.3 million to combat hunger across the globe as part of its “Nourishing People” challenge to its business units. On World Food Day, Cargill challenged its businesses to reach out to local hunger relief organizations to address immediate needs and provide long-term solutions to hunger. Activities ranged from helping food banks in the United States restock their shelves during the holiday season, to building school kitchens in Honduras.
• Africa. We have joined partnerships with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to improve the livelihoods of 200,000 cocoa and 265,000 cotton farming households in Africa. 
• Indonesia, Central America and Africa. Our six-year, $5.5 million commitment with the World Food Programme is bringing food, medication, improved hygiene, and new drinking water wells to more than 30,000 children in 130 schools in Indonesia. In 2010, we started a new project supporting a WFP school feeding program in India.
• Guatemala and Honduras. More than 90 percent of Cargill employees in Guatemala and Honduras volunteer for community projects, including building houses with Habitat for Humanity and constructing a school for disabled students.
• China. Cargill employees in China have contributed more than 42,000 volunteer hours over the past six years through 31 employee-led Cargill Cares Councils. Projects include a program to improve the education and welfare of China’s children by refurbishing existing rural schools and building new schools that are located near Cargill facilities throughout China.