Roger Thurow spoke to a packed plenary session this morning in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Roger Thurow’s job is to “outrage and inspire.” His recent book, co-authored with Scott Kilman, Enough: Why the World’s Poorest Starve in an Age of Plenty, certainly does just that.

He previously spoke at our Fall 2009 Conference, and Opportunity is delighted to host him again at our Spring 2010 Conference. The Opportunity audience sat enraptured as we listened to his story today.

Thurow’s three decades at The Wall Street Journal lead him to Europe and Africa. While in Africa, he wrote a series of stories on famine in Africa that was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in International Reporting. Along with Scott Kilman, Roger Thurow reported on humanitarian and development issues.

They received much recognition for their book: they were honored by the United Nations and were awarded the Action Against Hunger’s Humanitarian Award. Thurow now serves as a Senior Fellow on Global Agriculture and Food Policy at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. It is no wonder that he was one of the conference’s most-anticipated speakers.

In keeping with the conference theme, he self-identifies as a journalist, and a gatherer of stories.

“The best way to reduce poverty in the very poorest of nations is by focusing on the small farmers, and creating the conditions for the small farmers to be as productive as possible.” he begins. “They will then have enough food to feed themseleves, feed their families, feed their nations, and maybe even have a surplus.”

When he first went to Africa, and saw the massive famine that Etheopia was experiencing, he testifies that ”what I saw became a disease in my soul.” This disease would not allow him to rest until he shared the story with the rest of the world. That story became the bestselling book Enough.

“Opportunity International is so crucial,” he says. ”It’s all about the power of the individual. Ending hunger can indeed be the singular greatest achievement in our generation.” He wrote about Opportunity’s work in Malawi in the book, sharing the story of Africa Board Chair Francis Pelekamoyo’s leadership in delivering innovative solutions to Africa’s poorest entrepreneurs.

“Hooray for the efforts of Opportunity International and crop insurance,” he emphasizes. We will hear more about the Agriculture Finance program later on in the program.

To keep up with Roger Thurow, check out his blog. You can also learn more about how hunger can be conquered in his recent article in Christianity Today, available here.

Opportunity International is working to equip countries to be agriculturally self-sustainable through microfinance.

There is a green revolution occurring in the developing world led by passionate individuals with a heart for change. Within this revolution, Opportunity International is equipping nations to do something radical–to feed themselves.

In honor of www.blogactionday.org, I would like to introduce Lucas Chingore. Lucas is a farmer in Mozambique. His desire was to farm on a plot of land just outside of town. But his goal was always out of reach. He did not have the financial services that he needed to succeed. Finally, he found Opportunity International and his farm took root. He received a loan for an irrigation pump that brought precious water to his crops and greatly enhanced his yield. Another loan allowed him to diversify into poultry so that hundreds of chickens now populate his fields. And he opened an Opportunity savings account to protect his business profits and earn interest.

Lucas is now feeding his family, his community and his nation, thanks to a loan from Opportunity.

Two-thirds of the sub-Saharan Africa labor force is employed in agriculture. With this in mind, Opportunity institutions in eight African countries (Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Kenya, Mozambique, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda) are committed to addressing the issue of food security. Opportunity plans to solve this great agricultural conundrum through the success of people like Lucas.

The issue of food sustainability is not a new issue. It is, however, one of the most pressing problems in the developing world. With the global food crisis still a battle that the poor face daily, Opportunity International recognized the need for a long-term solution to this chronic problem.

Using technology, Opportunity has pioneered crop insurance that mitigates weather problems in farming. Using education, Opportunity is teaching farmers about the true market value of their crops. Using savings products, Opportunity is allowing farmers to manage their cash flow. Using new seeds, Opportunity is helping farmers to increase crop yields and decrease risk.

As Roger Thurow and Scott Kilman insist in Enough, this is a problem that can only be solved by creativity and commitment. Opportunity International has become a champion of the farming poor. And in doing so, Opportunity has equipped nations to feed themselves.

To read more about Lucas’ story, click here. To learn more about Blog Action Day and the topic of climate change, go to www.blogactionday.org.

Roger Thurow's intent was to outrage and inspire at the Oportunity Board of Governor's Conference.

Roger Thurow and Scott Kilman’s  compelling book Enough: Why the World’s Poorest Starve in an Age of Plenty tells the story of the world’s food. It raises the question of supply and demand, which is easy to understand even if you were not an economics major. There is enough food to feed everyone in the world. There are enough people to ensure that food gets produced and distributed. Then why are there people living with nothing?

Thurow’s intent is to outrage, and to inspire. His goal is audacious, but exciting.

Roger Thurow greeted the Oportunity Board of Governor’s Conference attendees with his own story: hunger seized his soul when he looked into the eyes of a starving child in Ethopia. Thurow speaks with great passion, full of zeal. He has walked among those starving in Africa when there was a warehouse full of food just down the road. He has seen the bumper crops that farmers produce one year but then the famine they endure the next year. The story he presents is a heartbreaking one, full of contrasts.

When I hear about disparities such as this, I generally grow discouraged. Not this time.

“There are 25,000 people dying every day of hunger-related illnesses. And it doesn’t have to happen,” he emphasizes.

There are people and organizations that are making a difference in food security. Opportunity is introducing crop insurance to mitigate weather risk. Seeing the need for rural lending, Opportunity is making loans to farmers. And Opportunity is working alongside governments to start to make a difference in the area of food scarcity.

“Hunger is one of the great problems of the world that can be solved,” he says. “Opportunity has a great abundance of concrete examples and inspiring leaders, like Francis Pelekamoyo…. When I first met him, Francis was finding his life’s worth in small acts that were impacting the lives of Malawian farmers.”

Thurow spotlights Opportunity’s own Francis Pelekamoyo with great reverence in Enough. He is a man that left a high-powered career as the Head of the Central Bank of Malawi to work with Opportunity International. Francis is now Opportunity’s board chair for Opportunity’s banks in Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Sought Africa, and Kenya.

Thanks, Roger Thorow, for outraging and inspiring the Opportunity International Board of Governors!