Africa Development Strategy:Africa Development Strategy: Connecting the Chronically Connecting the Chronically

Poor to Economic DevelopmentPoor to Economic Development

International Food Aid Conference International Food Aid Conference

Kansas City, MissouriKansas City, Missouri

April 8, 2009April 8, 2009Office of Capacity Building and DevelopmentOffice of Capacity Building and Development

Foreign Agricultural ServiceForeign Agricultural Service

Are We Achieving Our Are We Achieving Our Goal of Helping the Goal of Helping the Chronically Poor? Chronically Poor?

OverviewOverview

• Why are we discussing Africa?• What is the U.S. Government approach?• What shapes USDA’s development approach for

Africa?• How does USDA support this?• Will an integrated strategy connect the chronically

poor to promote economic growth?

Why Are We Discussing Why Are We Discussing Africa?Africa?

• Food Insecurity

• Environmental Threats• National Security Interests

What Is the U.S. What Is the U.S. Government Approach?Government Approach?

Children eating in a school repaired by International Partnership for Human Development in Guinea-Bissau funded by USDA’s McGovern-Dole International Food for Education Program.

A cassava fermenting tank constructed by the South-East Consortium for International Development through USDA’s Food for Progress program in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Our Whole-of-Government Our Whole-of-Government Approach Is Linked to…Approach Is Linked to…

Millennium Development Goals

Goal 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger

A school in MozambiqueA school in Mozambique

Our Approach Is Our Approach Is Linked to…Linked to…

• The African Union/New Economic Partnership for Africa Development/

Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (AU/NEPAD/CAADP)

A successful business owner assisted by FINCA International, through USDA’s Food for Progress program in Uganda.

Three biosafety regulators from Senegal and Burkina Faso visit a Tuskegee University sweet potato testing facility as part of a two-week training organized by the USDA’s Cochran Fellowship Program.

What Is USDA’s Approach What Is USDA’s Approach to Africa’s Development?to Africa’s Development?

How Does USDA Support How Does USDA Support Its Development Approach? Its Development Approach?

• Our approach includes:

– Increasing food security

– Boosting bilateral and regional trade capacity

– Promoting economic growth and reducing poverty

– Combating environmental threats through supporting agricultural research and strengthening institutions

– Ensuring food safety and controlling animal and plant diseases

We Use USDA’s We Use USDA’s Unique Tool BoxUnique Tool Box

Cochran Fellowship

ProgramBorlaug Fellowship Program

Extensive Network of

University Partners

Links to Agribusiness

Faculty Exchange

Program

Embassy Science Fellows

Program

Government-to-Government Relationships

Scientific Cooperation

Exchange Program

PVO’s/NGO’sInternational OrganizationsState Departm

ents of

Agriculture

Food For Progress

McGovern-Dole Food for

Education Program

Provide Technical ExpertiseProvide Technical ExpertiseFrom the Ground UpFrom the Ground Up

USDA USDA Partners With Partners With

• Foreign Governments• PVOs/NGOs• U.S. Agribusiness• Trade Associations• USAID, State

Department, Peace Corps • Other USG agencies• Land-Grant Universities

Agricultural development Credit guarantee

programs Rural credit, microfinance Technical assistance

programs Regulatory and policy

capacity building Educational Improvement Trade missions Scientific research Economic analysis Post Harvest/Marketing

Systems

Will an integrated approach Will an integrated approach connect the chronically poor to connect the chronically poor to

economic growth?economic growth?

Road Will Be BumpyRoad Will Be Bumpy

With…With…

• Political will at all levels

• Effective use of all forms of food aid for both short-term emergency situations and long-term sustainable development

• Partnerships to leverage resources, including active and effective collaboration amongst all stakeholders

We Can More Effectively Connect We Can More Effectively Connect The Chronically Poor to Economic GrowthThe Chronically Poor to Economic Growth

Carla Do Vale, a rice geneticist from Mozambique, does research at a laboratory in Texas A&M University in 2008. Her 6-week scientific training program in the U.S. was organized by USDA’s Borlaug Women in Science Fellowship Program.

Ten Nigerians visit a poultry processing facility in Alabama. The visit was part of a two-week training organized by USDA’s Cochran Fellowship Program. The training covered topics in live bird management, avian influenza, and vaccine development.

Thank YouThank You

BOA ME NA ME MMOA WO "Help me and let me help you"

Akan symbol of cooperation and interdependence