July 27, 2012

ACDI/VOCA Trains Congressional Hunger Center’s Leland Fellows

Students Learn Value Chain Approach for Achieving Food Security and Nutrition Priorities

ACDI/VOCA provided training on the value chain approach to the Mickey Leland International Hunger Fellows on July 26. The fellows program, run by the Congressional Hunger Center, prepares emerging leaders for the challenges of addressing worldwide hunger.

Known as a pioneer in developing and implementing a comprehensive value chain approach to economic growth and poverty alleviation, ACDI/VOCA is well regarded for its expertise in analyzing and improving the conditions through which micro and small enterprises can contribute to and benefit from their economic activities in value chains. This particular training course included the integration of food security and nutrition priorities into this market-based approach.

Value Chain Approach More ‘Systemic and Sustainable’

“It was an opportunity for us to share our learning on economic growth and food security, but also to build the capacity of these fellows who can, on the one hand, use this approach—or aspects of it—in their work with the very food insecure and, on the other hand, influence policymakers to promote this more systemic and sustainable approach to poverty reduction,” said ACDI/VOCA’s Lisa Kearns, who devised the course.

Leland Fellowship Program

The Leland Fellowship Program was established in 2001 as a leadership development program for young professionals committed to finding solutions to global hunger and poverty. Fellows complete a two-year program that includes field work in a developing country and policy work with an organization in the U.S.

ACDI/VOCA’s session was a part of an extensive training program that features speakers from prominent international development organizations from various sectors.

Each Leland class consists of 14-17 skilled and committed individuals selected by a competitive application process. Most fellows hold advanced degrees and have spent at least one year working or volunteering in a developing country.

This is the sixth class of fellows, many of which ACDI/VOCA has helped train.

Learn more about the value chain approach.