Hattaw Khalid

This term I took FRE 350: International Agricultural Development with Chris Bennett and for this course my group members and I had to evaluate an existing policy and determine it’s failures and successes. For this project I was fortunate enough to have an interdisciplinary, diverse group. Each member came from a different program; accounting, chemical engineering, international relations, immunology, economics and global resource systems!

We ended up evaluating the organic farming policy in Sikkim, India and compared that to general negative externalities of conventional farming in Punjab, India. Having such a diverse group greatly contributed to the coming together of this project. Each person looked at a different aspect that they felt they had the most background information on and experience. For example, I handled the health impacts of organic and conventional farming and my teammate who studies chemical engineering did research on pesticides and so on.

Throughout the research I was able to establish a greater understand of health risks that come with chemical use in agricultural practices and post Green Revolution implications. Also, throughout the course I learned a lot about the effects of deforestation, environmental degradation, and policy failures and successes around the world.

I truly loved this course, and I can’t wait to hear feedback from my instructor and TA on how our project went.

I was born in Baghdad, Iraq but ended up moving around the world for most of my life. Lived in 3 different countries, 2 continents and went to 7 different schools. I spent some parts of my childhood and my teen years in Vancouver and that was a big factor of me wanting to attend UBC.

For my FNH 355: International Nutrition class I had to come up with a project that would alleviate poverty, directly or indirectly. This was a great opportunity to do some research on different organizations and brainstorm and connect causes and effects of everyday life that contribute to food security locally and internationally. While doing my research I stumbled upon the World Food Programme, a UN organization that provides food aid and food assistances to various developing countries around the world. What most intrigued me about the WFP is the concept of food vouchers. A lot of times when food aid is administered to developing countries, the food itself and the distribution are not culturally acceptable.

Airdrops require long hours of waiting in-line for food that you may not find palatable within that country. Whereas with food vouchers you are able to purchase food from a supermarket-like setting and it is culturally acceptable and palatable. Another problem I found with imported food aid is that it hurts local farmers, whereas food vouchers support local farmers and don’t hurt the local economy.

So, my group members and I settled on the organization we chose to contribute to and started a fundraiser. We baked cookies and ricecrispy squares and sold them at a Food Society potluck. We were able to raise approximately $32 in two hours, which wasn’t too bad as it was a free potluck and they had free desserts as well. We ended up sending it to the Syria program to help children and women in war-torn Syria.

I truly enjoyed this project and I’m very happy with our organization choice. Hopefully the money does end up reaching one family and doesn’t get lost in transactions. Regardless, it was a wonderful experience all around. And as for FNH 355, for anyone interested in international development, health or non-health focused, this course is extremely interesting and eye opening.

ram·a·dan/ˈräməˌdän/

The ninth month of the Muslim year, during which strict fasting is observed from sunrise to sunset.

Ramadan is a holy month in the Islamic religion. Food and drink are forbidden throughout the day up until sunset. The purpose of this practice is to essentially, put yourself in someone else’s shoe; to feel that the less fortunate feel. At the end of this month Eid comes around where everyone celebrates and feasts are held for three days. There are two Eids in the Islamic calendar, each celebrating different occasions and are 2 months and 10 days apart of each other.

How Ramadan is practiced in the Middle East is by feasting EVERYDAY. As soon as the sun begins to set, the dining table begins to disappear beneath huge plates of various foods. Then everyone falls into a food coma for a few hours until they regain consciousness and go to someone else’s home and eat some more. The purpose of visiting others is to gain good deeds for feeding someone who is hungry, but you’re not very hungry if you’ve just devoured an entire lamb. It’s unfortunate that culture gets mixed into religion sometimes.

When a few of my fellow classmates participated in the welfare challenge, it made me realize the resource that I’ve had all my life that I’ve abused and misused all my life. I was given this great opportunity to annually remember and feel what so many people within our community feel everyday, and I’ve been doing it wrong my whole life!

So for next year, I hope to fast properly, the way it was intended to be. I will face a lot of cultural challenges because I am usually in the Middle East around that time since it happens to be during the summer during this decade. It will be hard to refuse delicious homemade feasts and turn away pistachio filled desserts but I will get through it.

People do the 30 hour famine, or the $26 welfare challenge, I can most definitely practice something I truly believe in to its fullest.