USAID Prepares Emergency Food Assistance for Haiti
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 16, 2008
Press Office: 202-712-4320
Public Information: 202-712-4810
www.usaid.gov
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Henrietta Fore sent the director of her Haiti task force, Alonzo Fulgham, to Haiti's capital, Port au Prince, to assess a breaking food crisis. USAID has pre-positioned more than $15 million in emergency food which can be shipped over water in 2-3 weeks.
At present, three ships with over 6,820 tons of food aid are enroute to Haiti and will arrive on or about June 4. This shipment consists of corn/soy blend, lentils, vegetable oil, and soy fortified bulgur wheat. Depending on the program and commodities, one ton can feed 2,000 people for one day.
USAID is also supporting additional assistance by helping the GOH to subsidize rice prices with $1 million that, along with other donor contributions, will be used to purchase rice and reduce the price per 110 pound bag from $51 to $43.
The USAID mission is also reprogramming $5.5 million in developmental assistance to create short -term jobs over very poor people, working on community improvement projects such as road paving and canal clearing. These people live in urban areas where food is available, but they have insufficient funds or no income to purchase food. This increase in funds will raise the number of short term jobs in USAID programs from 75,000 to 90,000, an increase of 15,000 jobs.
All of this is in addition to the annual $35 million in Title II food aid for Haiti, which is the largest program of its kind in the world.
"The United States is committed to the people of Haiti in building a stable, peaceful and just society able to provide for its citizens," said Fore. "This year, USAID is investing more than $128 million to shore up Haiti's economy and provide vital social services. Our response to this latest crisis is part of that continuing support."
For more information about USAID's emergency humanitarian assistance programs, please visit:www.usaid.gov/our_work/humanitarian_assistance/disaster_assistance/.
The American people, through the U.S. Agency for International Development, have provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for nearly 50 years.
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