Can one person change the world? Of course! As Melinda Gates says, “The future is not fixed. We all have a hand in how it plays out.” In other words, we all play an important role in changing the world for the better. And when we talk about changing the world for the better, one important place to start is by addressing the eradication of extreme hunger and poverty in the developing world.

The first of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – a set of eight target goals agreed upon by world governments to change the world – addresses the eradication of hunger and poverty in the developing world.

What does this have to do with small farmers? One of the most amazing pieces of this puzzle is that if we support small farmers in the developing world, we can actually help reduce hunger and poverty. And because women produce 43 percent of the world's food in developing countries, and an astounding 80 percent of the world's agricultural workers are women, women play a huge role as well.

In order to raise awareness about this, however, we’re asking for your help.

Here are the basics:

Let’s help the world understand how helping small farmers in the developing world grow more and sell more is the solution to reducing hunger and poverty.

Did you know that most of the world’s poorest people are small farmers who grow their own food and make money from their plots of land? They often lack important tools and resources that enable them to grow more, and have more crops to take to market. One key to reducing hunger and poverty is to invest in farming families. This is already happening – and we are seeing successes around the world from these investments.

This is where you come in! Create a compelling message—using your design, filmmaking, or writing skills—that shows why investing in small farmers is good for the world. Give a shout-out for small farmers!

For more information, visit the Join the Challenge page!