USADF Signs Two grants with women's groups in Nigeria:

WASHINGTON - June 9, 2009

WASHINGTON, D.C. – June 9, 2009 – In an effort to improve the incomes of women in Nigeria, the United States African Development Foundation has signed two grants in Washington, D.C. to benefit community groups. The grants will benefit Duguri Women Rice Farmers’ Cooperative (DWFRCS) and Mwari Women Multipurpose Cooperative Society (MWMCS).

Upon reviewing the grant, USADF Vice Chairman Jack Leslie  stated, “Funding economic development at the grassroots level is vital to USADF’s work and to the under-served people of Africa. These grants do just that – funding grassroots cooperatives to help grow and sustain projects and giving them the means to enhance their quality of life. ”

Located in  Duguri Village, Bauchi State, DWFRCS is owned by twenty-five women who cultivate rice on individual plots and on a farm to sell. The Cooperative seeks to increase its share of Nigeria’s increasing demand of domestic rice but lack agricultural techniques, tools, and working capital to do so.  The two year, $93,169 grant is designed to sustain the cooperative’s growth which will provide for higher incomes for its members.  USADF funds will finance the purchase of rice processing facilities, working capital for seeds and herbicides, technical assistance, including learning modern techniques. 

MWMCS, located in Mwari Village, Bauchi State, faces similar challenges.  Seeking to increase the incomes levels of its 25 women members, MWMCS cultivates rice on individual plots and lacks working capital, tools and modern farming techniques.  The two year, 93,169 grant will provide necessary resources to increase the Cooperative’s ability to compete on local markets, increasing the livelihoods of members and their families.

Nigeria currently imports one million hectares of rice each year, 80% of it imported by Bauchi State.  These grants are designed for Nigerian enterprises to sell locally grown goods on local markets, placing profits into the hands of Nigerian farmers and communities.

USADF started programming in Nigeria in 2001. Nigeria’s current portfolio stands at twenty investment projects totaling nearly $3.6 million.  For more information about the portfolio, please visit the country’s quick source page at http://www.adf.gov/USADF-QuickSourceCountryPortfolioPage-Nigeria.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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