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U.S. and U.K. Announce $60 Million Agriculture Stimulus Program for Afghanistan
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 11, 2008
Press Office: 202-712-4320
Public Information: 202-712-4810
www.usaid.gov
PARIS - Henrietta Fore, Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
and Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance, announced today during the International Support Conference for Afghanistan, an agricultural stimulation program, valued at up to $60 million. The Afghanistan Vouchers for Increased Production in Agriculture (AVIPA) program has been designed in close cooperation with Afghanistan's Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock and is jointly funded by the Government of Afghanistan, USAID, the United Kingdom's Department for International Development (DFID) and other donors to address the current food crisis.
AVIPA is a key component to an overall multi-donor, Afghan government led approach to mitigate the impact of this food crisis through an agricultural voucher program designed to increase cereal production and 2009 harvests. Under this program, farmers will be able to go into private sector agricultural supply stores and buy bags of seed, fertilizer or other inputs at greatly reduced costs. They will use these inputs quickly to grow more food. Complementing this effort, food aid programs through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Government of Afghanistan, USAID and the World Food Program will target the most vulnerable rural and urban households. Together these programs are expected to proactively address emergency food security issues in Afghanistan brought about by rising food prices, lower harvests in the country, and worldwide shortages of cereals such as wheat.
"The implementation of this program will help to stimulate the production of critical food crops, providing increased grain harvests in 2009," said Administrator Fore. "In addition, by improving roads, irrigation, electricity and transport services, we help Afghan farmers and markets build a stronger nation."
UK Secretary for International Development Douglas Alexander said, "I can today announce that the UK will provide ?3.5 million to allow drought affected farmers access to seeds and fertilizer to increase food production in Afghanistan. I am delighted that the UK Government and others in the international community have been able to support the lead taken by the Government of Afghanistan in responding to the humanitarian crisis caused by high food prices and low rain fall."
Limited snow and rainfall over the 2007-08 wheat-growing season means Afghanistan's wheat deficit is expected to increase significantly, requiring greater imports in 2008-09 when global suppliers such as Pakistan and Russia have drastically restricted exports. Following global increases, the price of wheat and bread, the national staple, has increased by over 130 percent, on average, in the past year alone.
For more information about USAID and its programs in Afghanistan, please visit: www.usaid.gov.
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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