Getting Your Goat: Do Adopt an Animal Donations Support Food Security?

I have long had a fondness for alternative gifts. Our family suffers from the luxurious malaise of many families from wealthy nations: we get way too many gifts at Christmas time. For years, I have given donations to organizations as Christmas presents and have asked for such donations as gifts. As someone who has traveled to many countries of the world, I have a desire to help others create a wonderful life for themselves, no matter where they live. I understand that I come from a place of privilege, even though I may have times in my life when my personal food security is in question.

Is my thinking misguided?

The divide of wealth is a very uncomfortable thing, when you consider it closely. I'm uncomfortable with the notion of development. People I've met all over the world seem like well-developed people to me, in well-developed communities. Yes, many of these people may be poor compared to me, and they may have desires that are easily attainable by people in the place where I live.  I might give out of abundance, out of guilt, out of a desire to help others. But how do I decide how to best promote food security in another part of the world?

Assuredly, non-profit organizations do research before they develop a plan for food security, and I would assume that each would be doing this in conjunction with the people whose food security is in question. But in an effort to create good public relations campaigns that draw donors in other countries, are organizations pushing cows over fruit trees, pigs over vegetables? Does giving a goat or a pig or a chicken place a higher value on the consumption of meat, dairy, and eggs over the consumption of vegetables and fruit? Here, I volunteer for an organization that helps people get enough fresh fruit and vegetables to eat. Shouldn't I extend that focus to any international giving and work that I do?

There is certainly poverty in many places, but I'm not comfortable prescribing to people what they should do to address it. My giving of a goat is an act of charity and abundance, yes. But does it contain privileged assumptions, because it assumes that the family who receives it and the land that they live on will be able to sustain the goat in perpetuity?  Alternatively, I could assume that the family who receives the goat has asked for one, can feed a goat, and has enough fruit and vegetables already.

I know my own community, and I know that those in need in my community need more fresh fruit and vegetables. I work to fill that need. But I want to donate internationally. I want to help fill those needs too - but how do I decide where to place my limited funds? If you want to support food security in countries other than your own, what do you do?