Food Fluency Pilot Program

A global food education program invigorated with a local soul
through community-based partnerships

March 2023 update

The Food Fluency pilot program was implemented last month in Suakoko, Bong County, Liberia in partnership with Women in Agriculture for Sustainable Development (WASUDEV). As we reflect on the pilot program and take in the lessons learned from seeing it on the ground, Food Fluency is open to new partners! If you or someone you know wants to add a nutrition-sensitive lens to agriculture / community development programs- please get in touch (scroll down for contact info).

We're grateful to all of our crowdfund donors as well as the Mandela Washington Fellowship for the financial support that made our first program possible.

Click here to see highlights from Liberia: Newsletter & Video

Women in Agriculture for Sustainable Development (WASUDEV) was founded in 2018 to help vulnerable girls and women at risk for gender-based violence become agricultural entrepreneurs in their communities. Engaged community members have been focused on improving agricultural production and transitioning to regenerative growing practices for economic and social development as well as increased food security.   

Towards the end of 2021, Hawa (WASUDEV Program Director) learned about Food Fluency and approached Michelle to collaborate on implementing it with the women in their programs. To gauge their interest, Hawa directly asked community participants if they had a preference on which topics to learn about. They said that nutrition and health are priority because without good health, nothing else is possible. 

We are now developing the program (according to the process outlined below) to complement the existing agricultural activities in the Liberian communities WASUDEV is active in. Now that WASUDEV is increasing communities’ access to diverse food crops, the Food Fluency workshops will address proper utilization of them to optimize dietary practices in line with cultural and bioregional considerations. "Utilization" may include, but not limited to: food safety, hygiene, cooking, herbal seasoning, preservation, storage, and nutrition basics. Topics will be prioritized according to the results of Workshop #1 (Focus Groups with program participants).

See the ongoing activities and updates from Food Fluency's first partner,
Women in Agriculture for Sustainable Development (WASUDEV) on Facebook!