USADF Signs Two grants with community groups in liberia:

WASHINGTON - June 9, 2009

WASHINGTON, D.C. – June 9, 2009 – In an effort to improve farmers’ livelihoods and promote food security, the United States African Development Foundation has signed two grants in Washington, D.C. to benefit grassroots cooperatives  in Liberia. The grants will benefit the Intofawor Farmers Multi-purpose Cooperative Society (Intofawor) and the Zoekar-kiah Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative (Zoekar-kiah)

Upon the grant being signed, USADF Chairman Dr. John Agwunobi stated, “USADF strives to identify and work with the most impoverished, under-served, and under-privileged communities in Africa. This grant will fund projects designed by two such communities to ensure a better quality of life.”

Intofawor is a community based organization that adds value to some 300 farmers’ produce such as rice, cocoa, palm oil, and other cash crops in Foya District, Lofa County.  The Cooperative seeks to improve members’ standard of living through higher food prices for their products and contribute to community development, such as construction and schools.  Wanting to take advantage of market opportunities, the Cooperative is currently limited by weak internal capacities and inadequate capital to rehabilitate their rice paddies that were damaged during the war and buy produce from farmers.  The three year, $243,736 grant will be used to improve financial management, develop a business plan, supply working capital, funds to renovate formerly developed swamp areas and offices, and enable the cooperative to purchase more products to sell.

Zoekar-kiah promotes the economic interests of its members by marketing cocoa, coffee, rice, rubber, vegetables, and transport of goods to markets.  With 295 members, the Cooperative is seeking to improve members’ lives through increased productivity and higher prices from the sale of rice.  The Cooperative currently faces capital and internal management shortfalls.  The  three year, $248,362 grant will fund a business plan, improvement to financial systems, working capital, rehabilitation of swampland and an office, and training.

USADF re-started programming in Liberia in 2006 at the invitation of President Sirleaf. Liberia’s current portfolio stands at ten investment projects totaling nearly $1.8 million.  For more information about the portfolio, please visit the country’s quick source page at http://www.adf.gov/USADF-QuickSourceCountryPortfolioPage-Liberia.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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