USADF Signs Grant with Rwandan Group

WASHINGTON - March 2, 2009

WASHINGTON, D.C. – March 2, 2009 –  The United States African Development Foundation (USADF) signed a grant to support economic development in Rwanda today. The new USADF grantee, Coopérative des Agriculteurs de la Culture de Pomme de Terre de Karago, is a cooperative located in Mukamira, Nyabibu District, Western Province of Rwanda. The grant is to fund the expansion of potato production for a larger market.

USADF President Lloyd Pierson stated, “By directly funding this cooperative, USADF is promoting economic development at the grassroots level in Rwanda in an effort to create jobs and secure a higher quality of life for members.”

With a membership of 363 persons, 71% women who are widows of the genocide, the Cooperative will use the $92,000 grant over 18 months to increase potato production by constructing a storage facility, hiring technical assistance to develop a five-year business plan, acquiring training, and establishing a stock of new seed varieties, fertilizer, fungicides, hoes, packaging materials, and protective gear for pesticide applicators. Members’ production is projected to increase from 806 metric tons to 1,210 by the end of the project.

USADF re-established programming in Rwanda in 2004. The current portfolio includes 17 projects totaling $2.7M. For more information about the portfolio, please visit the country’s quick source page at http://www.adf.gov/USADF-QuickSourceCountryPortfolioPage-Rwanda.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 directly funded nearly 1,500 African projects representing in excess of $150 million in support of African enterprises and local African communities.

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