USAID Impact Photo Credit: Nancy Leahy/USAID

Archives for Food Security

This Week at USAID – October 11, 2010

Posted by  on Tuesday, October 12th 2010     

Administrator Shah opens a weeklong training for over 80 USAID communications staff from USAID Missions all over the world.  These communicators are in Washington, D.C. to engage with senior officials about elevating development, particularly the first-ever national development strategy issued by a U.S. President and “USAID Forward”, the Agency’s change management agenda.  Sessions featured during the week include: a meeting with staff from the National Security Council, a joint session at the annual State Department Public Affairs Officer’s conference, and a panel discussion with leading foreign policy journalists at the Newseum.

Administrator Shah travels to Des Moines, Iowa to speak at the Borlaug Dialogue, which is held each year in conjunction with the awarding of the World Food Prize.  The theme of the conference is: smallholder agriculture, “Take it to the Farmer“.  Dr Shah will focus on how you take interest in fighting poverty to the smallholder farmer.  He will also promote progress under Feed the Future, the Administration’s global hunger and food security initiative.

Food Voucher Program Will Assist Sudanese Families

Posted by  on Tuesday, October 12th 2010     

Submitted by Angela Stephens

Most U.S. food assistance to Sudan is “in-kind” aid—food that is grown by farmers in the United States, purchased on the open market, then shipped to Sudan. Voucher programs, on the other hand, offer an alternative and complementary approach that gives families access to foods they are already familiar with and boosts local economic activity. Recently, USAID awarded its first grant for a food voucher program in Sudan, a landmark initiative that will nourish hungry families by lowering the cost of life-saving foods already available in local markets.

Food aid being distributed in Darfur, Sudan, earlier this year. Photo: Rebecca Dobbins/USAID

This grant, awarded to the World Food Program (WFP), provides more than $2.25 million for food vouchers that will be distributed to 129,000 people affected by drought in North Kordofan and North Darfur through the end of the year. Using vouchers worth $8 to $20, families can select a minimum of three food items from approved merchants, alleviating some of the hardship brought on by seasonal drought.

Overall in 2010, USAID has provided $404 million in food aid to 6.1 million food-insecure people in Sudan.

Pic of the Week

Posted by  on Wednesday, October 6th 2010     

Wanawake Kwanza (Women First) growers association in Maza village, Morogoro, Tanzania. Photo credit: USAID/Tanzania

The twelve members of the Wanawake Kwanza (Women First) growers association in Tanzania, have received Feed the Future support through USAID to boost their incomes and improve nutrition in the village.

After only two months of growing vegetables on a single acre plot, these women have saved nearly $500. Based on their success, Maza village authorities have made an additional 1.5 acres available to the group and other women in the village are now organizing themselves into similar groups.

USAID worked as a catalyst getting them started by providing initial training, seeds and a treadle pump for irrigation. Now that they are up and running, USAID will help the women to register their association, provide technical assistance and additional training and develop business plans so that they can make their efforts sustainable for the future.

Food Security Month @ USAID: Linking Agriculture, Economic Growth, and Nutrition

Posted by  on Wednesday, October 6th 2010     
Chairwoman Rose Peter of the Upendo Women Growers Association

Chairwoman Rose Peter of the Upendo Women Growers Association in Mlandize, Kibaha, Tanzania, shows off the first batch of sweet peppers the women have grown in their new greenhouse. Photo credit: USAID/Tanzania

By Kimberly Flowers

Throughout October USAID will be highlighting our broad-based work in food security – which spans from emergency food aid assistance through the Food for Peace Program to the game-changing global hunger initiative called Feed the Future. Our development programs overseas are linking vulnerable populations to opportunities for economic growth and linking agricultural benefits to nutrition elements in new, innovative ways. This month we will feature how we are working across the U.S. Government to reduce global hunger and improve lives.

The Obama Administration’s $3.5 billion commitment to tackle food security through Feed the Future and its announcement of the first-ever global policy directive on development demonstrates a renewed focus and investment to address hunger. As USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah has stated, “We know food security facilitates stable communities and resilient nations. We know agricultural development growth is more effective at reducing poverty than general economic growth. And we know children need nutrition to learn and grow, especially in those critical early years of their lives.”

Next week, the Borlaug Dialogue will bring together hundreds of global leaders on agriculture, food and development to discuss food security themes in Des Moines, Iowa. The annual conference includes announcing the World Food Prize winner and will focus on “Take it to the Farmer: Reaching the World’s Smallholders”. USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah will be a keynote speaker at the event and will announce new USAID programs that will increase capacity and incomes of smallholder farmers across the globe.

October also includes World Food Day, a worldwide event to unite and inspire year-round action to alleviate hunger. We will join many of our partner organizations on this day of awareness and understanding by highlighting the urgent need to reduce hunger with the strong global will and partnership it requires.

Personally, I am honored to be a part of the Feed the Future team. It is a whole-of-government approach that invests in plans that are country-led and country-owned. Our cross-cutting themes of gender, nutrition, private sector, and research recognize that we must take a holistic approach to get this right. Much like the Green Revolution nearly 50 years ago, the renewed global focus on agriculture has the ability to transform agriculture and, ultimately, reduce the number of hungry in the world.

Country Leadership and Partnership for Food Security in Uganda

Posted by  on Thursday, September 23rd 2010     

Submitted by Amit Mistry, Feed the Future team at USAID

I just returned from a two-day High-Level Business Meeting in Kampala, Uganda. The business discussed was food security – specifically, the Government was seeking feedback and support for its plan to address food security through agriculture-led development.

Food security leaders in Kampala, Uganda. Photo Credit: Fred Mukasa

This was a unique experience where I saw what the term “country-led” really means in practice. The Government of Uganda developed its food security plan, known more formally as the Agriculture Sector Development Strategy and Investment Plan, or DSIP, under the auspices of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP), an Africa-led and Africa-owned initiative geared towards growing economies and alleviating poverty. The Government led the process in developing the DSIP, but the product we are discussing today would not have been possible without real partnership with local farmers’ organizations, civil society organizations, the private sector, development partners, and other stakeholders, all of whom were represented at the meeting.

The Honorable Hope Mwesigye, the Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, described the importance of this partnership best, “We shall not implement [the DSIP] alone; we have you as our partners in the journey.”

Later on the meeting, the findings of an independent technical review of the DSIP were presented and each group of stakeholders provided substantial feedback to the government on the plan. I was impressed to see that instead of a closed-door meeting, the Government led an open floor discussion with the entire audience until all major issues were worked out!

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USAID Eases Hardships of Haiti’s Earthquake Survivors

Posted by  on Tuesday, September 14th 2010     

After the January 12 earthquake in Haiti, an estimated 1.5 million people were displaced from their homes. Approximately 100,000 earthquake survivors fled Port-au-Prince to Haiti’s Central Plateau.

While the area was one of the country’s poorest regions even before the earthquake, it’s seen an influx of survivors who’ve come to live with family and friends, straining already limited resources.

To ease the hardships in the Central Plateau, USAID partner Mercy Corps is providing immediate financial assistance through cash-for-work programs for both the displaced earthquake survivors and the families who took them in.

With USAID/OFDA support, Mercy Corps is providing livelihood opportunities to 2,000 people per week in the Central Plateau. An additional 20,000 people are on track to benefit from the cash-for-work program.

These projects give a member of each household 30 days of employment on a community-selected project geared at improving infrastructure or agricultural production, such as rehabilitating roads, farmland or irrigation systems. Some have used their salary and tools from the programs to start more sustainable small businesses.

Under USAID’s Food Security Program in Haiti, Mercy Corps will also provide food vouchers to 100,000 in the Central Plateau and Lower Artibonite region. This new initiative provides grants, cash or vouchers to buy desperately needed food.

In the town of Mirebalais, Mercy Corps employs Haitians to clear debris from canals and other public spaces to mitigate flooding during hurricane season. Watch a video on this important program.

View photos of Mercy Corps’ work in Mirebalais on Facebook and Flickr.

This Week at USAID – August 2, 2010

Posted by  on Monday, August 2nd 2010     

Administrator Shah will join President Obama at the White House for a town hall during the Presidential Young African Leaders Forum.  As a global leader in empowering and engaging youth, USAID works to ensure that young people have access to skills and opportunities to be active and effective citizens who contribute to their country’s overall stability and development. 

Ambassador Garvelink, Deputy Coordinator of Feed the Future, will speak at two sessions during the International Food Aid and Development Conference in Kansas City.  His keynote address will underscore the U.S. commitment to addressing global hunger and food security, highlighting the whole-of-government approach and goals of Feed the Future.

Long-Term Investments to Bring Real-Life Improvements to People of Pakistan

Posted by  on Tuesday, July 20th 2010     

A summary map on the activities announced or underway in Pakistan.

During Dr. Raj Shah’s whirlwind two-day visit to Pakistan with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for the ongoing Strategic Dialogue between the two countries, the U.S. announced more than $500 million in new development assistance for Pakistan. 

The new projects include the completion of two hydroelectric dams in South Waziristan and Gilgit-Baltistan that will supply more than 34 megawatts of additional power to 280,000 residents in those areas, the renovation and construction of three medical facilities, economic growth programs and seven projects to improve water distribution and efficiency in the country. Much of the assistance will be delivered by USAID.

The United States shares with Pakistan a vision of a future in which all people can live safe, healthy, and productive lives. Dr. Shah spoke with press about USAID’s role in Pakistan, saying that “Our commitment is broad and deep,” and one that encompasses programs ranging from health and energy to economic growth and agriculture. 

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USAID In The News – July 12th thru 16th

Posted by  on Friday, July 16th 2010     

submitted by Amanda Parsons

Science Magazine’s Insider Blog looks at how USAID Administrator Dr. Rajiv Shah brought together the world’s leading science minds this week during a 2-day conference to focus and highlight the ways innovation, science and technology can revitalize the development agency. Shah hopes science and technology can help the agency solve “grand challenges” in global development and used the workshop to pose broad questions about how USAID could identify, select, and implement these challenges. USAID had solicited input via a Web site for possible ideas like “a model toilet of the future for the poor.” About 60 people from academia, industry, and government have begun to whittle down the list and brainstorm about how to proceed.

On Monday, Secretary Clinton and Dr. Rajiv Shah gave remarks regarding the status of Haiti six months after a devastating earthquake ravaged the small nation. The AFP reports that the duo reconfirmed their commitment to reconstruction and development after the disaster. Secretary Clinton stated, “Six months later, our resolve to stand with the people of Haiti for the long term remains undiminished. We are committed to aligning our investments with the needs of the people and the government of Haiti.” Dr. Shah emphasized the idea of stricter construction codes and working with local partners to achieve a responsible and functional outcome.

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USAID in the News – July 2nd to July 9th

Posted by  on Friday, July 9th 2010     

submitted by Jessica Scott

USAID is helping bring popular children’s television program Sesame Street to Nigeria through a five year grant. The show will be a 30 minute program titled Sesame Square that will run for three years. A portion of the grant will be focused on outreach programs for the country’s 25 million preschool-age children of whom only 10 percent are enrolled in school. The intent of this grant is to aid the country in building a strong foundation of basic literacy and numeracy as well as concentrating on the prevalent social issues. Sesame Square will be hosted by Kami, a lady Muppet who is HIV-positive, and another furry blue boy Muppet who has yet to be named. A national text vote campaign is currently in place to help name the unnamed Muppet and raise program awareness.

Albanian food producers, through USAID support, presented their products at an agro-food fair in New York last week. Over the last two years, USAID’s Competitiveness of Albanian Agriculture (CAA) program had aided Albanian agro-businesses in exploring profitable international markets. The New York food fair helped the nation establish trade contacts and provided information about the current and potential role of agriculture and food industry in the Balkans to American investors.

USAID Mission Director Pamela White participated in the celebration of the signing of a $15 million Threshold Program grant with Liberia. The grant will fund a three year program coordinated by USAID that will focus on improving land rights and access as well as girls’ primary education and trade policy. The people of Liberia chose these areas themselves as part of their national development strategy.

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