USADF AND GENERAL MILLS FOUNDATION PARTNER TO TACKLE POVERTY AND HUNGER IN TANZANIA

WASHINGTON - May 27, 2008

WASHINGTON, D.C. – May 27, 2008 -- The General Mills Foundation agreed to provide $140,000 in funding for the United States African Development Foundation’s Nyirefami Grain Processing project in Tanzania. The intent of the project is to strengthen Nyirefami's operations,marketing and supplier base, which includes more than 700 rural farmers. By forging closer commercial linkages with the poor farmers who grow sorghum and millet as a cash crop, the funding will enable Nyirefami and the farmers to improve the quality of their product – and thus be able to tap into a stronger and more stable market. The win-win project will also work to double employment and improve salaries of workers at the company. The community around Arusha, in northeast Tanzania, will also benefit health-wise from this project, as the nutritional values of traditional staple foods will be improved.

USADF President Lloyd Pierson said, “this is the type of Public and Private Partnership can make a real difference in the lives of people. We are connecting suppliers with markets that help create the conditions for increasing incomes and economic opportunities for people now living on less than $2 a day.” USADF Chairman Ward Brehm, a Minneapolis businessman, said that “attacking the problem of poverty in Africa by applying the economic engine of growing small businesses is a development strategy that works.” USADF is a leader in finding underserved populations in Africa and connecting them with market-based opportunities through small business, farmers’ cooperatives, and community-based organizations in Africa.

Whenever possible, ADF seeks to extend its small operating budget with matching funds from host governments and the private sector. Mr. Brehm thanked General Mills and the General Mills Foundation for their leadership in corporate social responsibility and for the concrete actions they are taking to help alleviate hunger in Africa and help people determine their own better futures.

General Mills, a global leader in the food industry, has demonstrated its commitment to making a difference in the lives of their consumers, customers, investors, employees and communities by partnering with USADF as a part of the company's African Women and Childrens’ Hunger Project. This project is a five-million dollar, three-year commitment to empower women in Malawi and Tanzania to develop long-term, sustainable agricultural practices and increase food production.

General Mills’ Chief Executive Officer Ken Powell recently told employees that the mission is "to help alleviate hunger and create a sustainable agriculture in Africa by educating, empowering and economically supporting women as farmers, food processors and providers.”

The General Mills African Women and Children's Hunger Project will partner with leading non-profit organizations to leverage its work in Africa. The broad set of partners includes the independent U.S. government agency, the U.S. African Development Foundation – Tanzania. “Our partners are doing phenomenal work in Africa,” said Powell. “These partnerships will allow us to apply our innovation, technology, people and money to this problem," said Powell.

The General Mills Foundation, celebrating more than 50 years of giving, focuses on nourishing communities. In fiscal 2007, General Mills awarded $82 million to communities across the country, representing more than 5 percent of company pretax profits that year. Of the total, the General Mills Foundation contributed more than $20 million in grants in the targeted areas of youth nutrition and fitness, social services, education, and arts and culture.

The United States African Development Foundation (USADF) is a United States Governmentagency dedicated to expanding access to economic opportunity in Africa. Over the past 25 years, USADF has funded nearly 1,200 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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