By Blessing Chinagorom
The United States through the US Agency for International Development (USAID) has selected Nigeria and 17 other countries to the distribution of agricultural commodities from American farmers to those in need around the world.
According to the statement released on Thursday, stating that in collaboration with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announcement of using $1 billion in Commodity Credit Corporation funding to purchase, ship and distribute vital emergency food aid.
Among these selected countries are Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Haiti, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Yemen.
USAID Administrator, Samantha Power said, “During this time of staggering global hunger, America is extending a hand to hungry communities around the world and American farmers are crucial to that effort,” adding that “USAID is honored to collaborate with USDA to purchase, ship and distribute our surplus food supplies to people in urgent need across the globe.”
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack said, “America’s farmers are most productive and efficient in the world, and we rely on them to supply safe and nutritious food not only to our nation, but to the global community,”
He added, “With many millions of people in dire need worldwide, the U.S. agricultural sector is well positioned to provide lifesaving food assistance.
“The United States produces more commodities than are consumed, and therefore has the opportunity to partner with USAID and extend this food to those in our global community who are struggling”, the Secretary explained.
It was further stated that this action builds on Secretary Vilsack’s October 2023 announcement about planned collaboration.
In September 2023, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) made the extraordinary decision to utilize these funds in partnership with USAID to meet emergency needs around world by purchasing commodities produced by U.S. farmers.
The $1 billion will primarily be used for the purchase, shipment, and distribution of U.S. commodities that align with traditional USAID international food assistance programming.
USDA will purchase the U.S. commodities and transfer them to USAID – the lead federal coordinator for international disaster assistance – for distribution.
A separate pilot project, of up to $50 million, will also be set up to utilize U.S. commodities that have not traditionally been part of food assistance programming but that are shelf stable and suitable for use in feeding food-insecure populations.
USAID is working with humanitarian organizations to develop this limited pilot project, and details will be released once they have been developed. With an estimated 205 million people in need of life-saving food assistance globally, these commodities will be used to provide emergency food assistance to people facing dire food insecurity.
The Joe Biden-led Administration is working urgently to address the emergency food aid needs around the world, including in Sudan, Gaza, and Ethiopia, adding that USAID, USDA are committed to working closely to leverage all available resources to mitigate the worst impacts of food insecurity around the world.
