Press Releases
USADF, U.S. Embassy in Zambia, Government of Zambia, and ZATAC Hold Ceremony in Mongu, Zambia: Patrons Join Grantees in Support of Rice Sector
Lusaka. October 28, 2009.
Washington, D.C. – October 28, 2009 –The United States African Development Foundation (USADF), in partnership with the United States Embassy in Zambia, the Government of Zambia, and Zambia Agribusiness Technical Assistance Center (ZATAC), hosted a ceremony to announce support for the rice sector in Zambia at the Diocese of Mongu Development Center located in Mongu, Western Province. Nearly forty people were in attendance at the ceremony, including fourteen representatives from seven USADF grantees.
During the ceremony, the guest of honor, H.E. Ambassador Donald Booth from the U.S. Embassy in Zambia, stated “Over the years, the American people have invested millions of dollars in Zambia’s future by contributing directly to the Zambian people through U.S. entities like USADF. The Foundation meets the core needs of communities by creating jobs, and thus improving the quality of peoples’ lives. USADF provides a helping hand up, not a hand out — an investment in, not charity for — Zambian-designed and Zambian-driven development. The United States seeks to bring about a world without hunger. Our objective is to build sustainable agricultural systems so all people have reliable access to nutritious food.”
Ambassador Booth’s remarks followed an opening statement from Likando Mukumbuta, the CEO of ZATAC, USADF’s partner organization that provides agribusiness and development services to USADF grantees and other small-scale producers and rural entrepreneurs. He stated, “USADF is providing support for the development of the rice sector in Zambia by addressing critical constraints facing smallholder rice producers by unlocking opportunities for expanded value adding processes. Combined, these allow smallholder producers to participate in value-added income generation activities.”
During the event, guests from the U.S. Embassy and the Government of Zambia toured the DMDC rice plant and spoke with the small-holder farmers, gaining a fuller understanding of the challenges the grantees face while witnessing the pride in their work and commitment to their communities.
Many of the rice cooperatives are located in remote and under-served areas of the country, making access to markets nearly impossible. To date, USADF has funded six rice groups in the Northern, Eastern, Western, and North-Western provinces. The groups are Chambeshi Rice Farmers Association, Chavuma District Farmers' Association, Diocese of Mongu Development Center (DMDC), Frontier Grinding, Kadande Farmers Group, and Zambezi Organic Rice Growers Associations. Representatives from all of these groups were in attendance.
USADF grantee, Mumwa Crafts, an organization that enables communities in the Western Province to generate income and support traditional crafts by producing and selling baskets, ceramics, leatherworks, and wood carvings, also attended.
The grants, ranging from $100,000 to $250,000, are designed to enhance the impact of the rice sector to provide further food security in the region as well as create jobs and lift people out of poverty.
USADF began programming in Zambia in 2004. Zambia’s current portfolio stands at twenty-eight investment projects totaling over $5.68 million dollars. For more information about the above mentioned grantees and the country portfolio, visit the country’s quick source page at http://www.adf.gov/USADF-QuickSourceCountryPortfolioPage-Zambia.htm
The United States African Development Foundation (USADF) is a United States Government agency dedicated to expanding access to economic opportunity in Africa. Currently USADF operates in 20 African nations. Over the past 25 years, USADF has funded nearly 1,500 projects representing in excess of $150 million in support of African enterprises and local African communities. For more information on USADF, its programs and application guidelines, visit www.usadf.gov.
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