Link: http://www.usda.gov/2007/02/0043.xml
Contact: Linda Habenstreit 202-720-9442; Keith Williams 2020-720-4623
USDA ANNOUNCES $200 MILLION IN INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE UNDER TWO PROGRAMS
WASHINGTON, Feb. 22, 2007 - Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns today announced plans for more than $200 million in international assistance under the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food for Progress and McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition programs for fiscal year 2007. This assistance will provide more than 330,000 tons of agricultural commodities that will benefit 17 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
"These programs demonstrate America's continued compassion and commitment to improve the lives of people around the world," said Johanns. "As we share our agricultural abundance with others, we support economic reform and development and increased access to education and nutrition, leading to more productive and open economies and healthier and better educated societies."
The Food for Progress allocations announced today will benefit more than 1.4 million people in 10 countries. These new allocations are in addition to those previously announced that benefited another 718,000 people in two countries. The projects will be implemented by nonprofit organizations and the United Nations' World Food Program. Approved projects will support agricultural and rural development, while helping to address food shortages. Projects were chosen based on their agricultural focus, the country's needs, the proposal's quality and the organization's management, experience, financial and technical capabilities.
The Food for Progress program provides U.S. agriculture commodities to developing countries and emerging democracies committed to introducing and expanding free enterprise in the agricultural sector. Commodities are currently provided on a donation basis to foreign governments, private voluntary organizations, non-profit organizations, cooperatives or intergovernmental organizations.
The McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program will feed nearly 1.5 million children in 11 developing countries. Previously announced allocations are feeding more 944,800 children in five countries. The program helps support education, child development and food security in low-income, food-deficit countries that are committed to universal education. It provides for donations of U.S. agricultural products, as well as financial and technical assistance for school feeding and maternal and child nutrition projects. The program is named in honor of Ambassador and former Senator George McGovern and former Senator Robert Dole for their tireless efforts to encourage a global commitment to school feeding and child nutrition.
Both the Food for Progress and McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition are administered by USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service. Lists of program allocations follow.
FOOD FOR PROGRESS PROGRAM
Number of People Benefiting from Fiscal Year 2007 Allocations
Country Cooperating Sponsor (Commodities*) Number Benefited
Afghanistan (Title I) Government of Afghanistan (Soybean oil) 8,000
Armenia World Food Program (Lentils, Vegetable oil, Wheat Flour) 6,475
Bolivia Food for the Hungry (Wheat) 17,000
Central African Republic International Partnership for Human Development (Flour, Rice, Vegetable oil) 20,500
Liberia ACDI/VOCA (Rice, Flour) 13,700
Madagascar Land O'Lakes (Vegetable oil, wheat) 10,100
Mozambique Planet Aid International (Wheat) 980,000
Mozambique TechnoServe (Wheat) 250,000
Nicaragua Foundation for International Community Assistance (Vegetable oil, Wheat) 46,365
Niger International Relief and Development (Bulgur, Rice) 32,000
Tanzania Foundation for International Community Assistance (Wheat) 30,000
TOTAL (Including the Title I funded project) 1,414,140
*Commodities are subject to change, pending negotiation of food aid agreements with cooperating sponsors.
PREVIOUSLY APPROVED FOOD FOR PROGRESS ALLOCATIONS
Country Cooperating Sponsor (Commodities*) Number Benefited
Kenya World Organization of Commercial Credit Unions -WOCCU (Wheat) 45,250
Kenya Land O'Lakes (Wheat) 46,800
Malawi Planet Aid International (Wheat) 626,000
TOTAL . 718,050
*Commodities are subject to change, pending negotiation of food aid agreements with cooperating sponsors.
GRAND TOTAL All Food for Progress Allocations 2,132,190
MCGOVERN-DOLE PROGRAM
Number of People Benefiting from Fiscal Year 2007 Allocations
Country Cooperating Sponsor (Commodities*) Number Benefited
Cambodia World Food Program (Beans, Vegetable Oil) 136,000
Guatemala SHARE (Rice, Beans, Soybean Meal, Wheat-Soy Blend) 68,000
Guinea World Food Program (Rice, vegetable Oil, Peas) 179,700
Kenya World Food Program (Beans, Rice, Vegetable Oil, Corn Soy Blend) 157,300
Liberia Visions in Action (Beans, Rice, Vegetable Oil 36,000
Madagascar CARE (Beans, Rice, Vegetable Oil, Corn Soy Blend) 15,000
Malawi World Food Program (Corn Soy Blend) 437,150
Mali World Food Program (Cornmeal, Peas, Rice, Vegetable Oil) 59,000
Mozambique Joint Aid Management (Beans, Flour, Rice, Soy Oil) 312,000
Nicaragua Global Impact (Beans, Flour, Rice, Soy Oil) 13,140
Zambia Land O'Lakes (Wheat) 70,000
TOTAL . 1,483,290
*Commodities are subject to change, pending negotiation of food aid agreements with cooperating sponsors.
PREVIOUSLY APPROVED MCGOVERN-DOLE PROGRAM ALLOCATIONS
Country Cooperating Sponsor (Commodities*) Number Benefited
Benin Catholic Relief Services (Lentils, Rice, Sunflowerseed Oil) 27,800
Congo, Republic of International Partnership for Human Development (Beans, Rice, Soybean Oil) 340,000
Guatemala Food for the Poor (Buckwheat, Corn, Beans, Rice, Soy Protein, Non-Fat Dry Milk) 260,000
Guinea Bissau International Partnership for Human Development (Pinto Beans, Rice, Vegetable Oil) 58,000
Pakistan World Food Program (Vegetable Oil) 259,000
TOTAL . 944,800
*Commodities are subject to change, pending negotiation of food aid agreements with cooperating sponsors.
GRAND TOTAL All McGovern-Dole Program Allocations 2,428,090
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