The United States Government, through the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA), finalized an agreement to provide the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) with $400,000 to respond to the ongoing food security crisis in Niger.
U.S. Ambassador to the UN Agencies in Rome, Ertharin Cousin, welcomed the contribution, saying, “Our aim is to improve the lives and livelihoods of Nigerien families. This investment in FAO country level agricultural and technical expertise will assist in our ability to achieve this goal.”
The contribution will support the coordination of agriculture and food security activities. Additionally, the funding will provide training to agricultural and livestock services as well as NGO and farmers’ associations in: seed production and distribution; vegetable garden irrigation and cropping techniques; and post-harvest management.
To date, in Fiscal Year 2011, USAID/OFDA has obligated $13.05 million to FAO emergency operations worldwide.
