WPRO630 99.7FM in Rhode Island covered USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah tour of the Edesia Global Nutrition Solutions, a Providence non-profit maker of fortified, high energy dense peanut pastes that the agency distributes as ready to use therapeutic food and supplementary food for distribution to countries such as Chad, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Haiti, Pakistan and Syria.
Pallets of USAID-supplied food, water and supplies. Photo credit: USAID
Barrington Patch reported Navyn Salem, executive director of Edesia, led a tour of the small factory for USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah and U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, U.S. Representatives Jim Langevin and David Cicilline and Providence Mayor Angel Taveras. The delegation donned white smocks and hair nets to get a first-hand look at a major supplier of fortified peanut-based, ready-to-use food products. USAID, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, UNICEF, the World Food Programme, and other agencies that address emergencies, conflict zones, and disadvantaged communities overseas buy the ready-to-use foods (RTUF). Shah was especially pleased with USIAD’s partnership with Edesia. These are “newly created, scientifically advanced food products that are designed to save the lives of some of the least fortunate people in the world,” Shah said. “From this facility, you reach 1.6 million kids in 35 countries.” Providence Journal cited Edesia Global Nutrition Solutions annually produce 6,000 metric tons of nutritional food supplements that are shipped around the world tAfro locations where war, famine or natural disaster have imperiled children’s lives. Its factory in Providence , now employs nearly 50 people, including former refugees from Liberia, Sierra Leone, Burundi and Burma. Using mostly U.S.-sourced ingredients, Edesia makes and ships enough nutrition packets to aid about 600,000 children annually.
Fibre2Fashion, an online textile and fashion website reported that the Global demand for fashion, diversification of sourcing and manufacturing locations around the world, along with the growing African middle class has stimulated demand for stylish, African-made apparel. USAID Africa Trade Hubs build momentum by supporting efforts, such as the Origin Africa Designer Showcase, to promote Africa as a reliable sourcing destination and to help African business take advantage of trade opportunities available under AGOA.
Christian Science Monitor noted that Eastern Congo Initiative (ECI) will team up with USAID to create an easy-to-use database of Congolese community-based organizations. “Through the database and the landscape analysis, USAID and ECI have laid the groundwork for augmenting foreign assistance in Eastern Congo,” said USAID’s Global Partnerships Division Director Christopher Jurgens. “Serving as a model of strategic investment in the region, the partnership’s assessment will shape future engagement and elevate awareness and commitment to the region within international development and donor communities.”
The Hill reports that “in a letter sent Tuesday to national security adviser Susan Rice,” a group of 22 lawmakers called for a “more efficient system” to help the hundreds of thousands of displaced persons within Syria. Ahead of the impending strikes, the House Democrats want “Rice to work with the State Department and USAID to establish training, capacity building, and aid delivery partnerships with Syrian relief organizations in order to expand their operations.’”
CNN continues to cover plans to establish Starbucks franchises throughout Columbia, and intends to work with two firms with “experience in the region: Latin American restaurant operator Alsea and food company Grupo Nutresa.” The Seattle-based giant is also “teaming up with the US Agency for International Development,” a private-public partnership that “includes a three-year, $1.5 million commitment from each to support the Starbucks Farmer Support Center.”
The AP reports that on Monday, Starbucks announced plans “to open its first cafe in Colombia.” In addition, the company “announced a $3 million partnership with the U.S. Agency for International Development to help Colombian farmers boost coffee yields and economic stability.” The Wall Street Journal reports that the USAID partnership will help to provide technical and agronomy support to farmers in Colombia. Bloomberg Business Week reports that “Starbucks and USAID are each investing $1.5 million during the next three years for research to help small-plot coffee farmers in Colombia.” The piece notes that “USAID has initiated other projects to help areas in Colombia affected by internal conflict, drug trafficking and violence.” Reuters quotes USAID chief Raj Shah, who said that the focus of the initiative is to reduce “extreme poverty, which is still a reality for almost all of these small-scale coffee growers that have barely one hectare (2.5 acres) of land.”
AllGov.com profiled Nisha Desai Biswal, the newly-nominated next assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia Affairs. The piece notes that Biswal, “assistant administrator for Asia at the U.S. Agency for International Development,” “will be the first person of South Asian origin to head the bureau.”
Washington Blade highlighted thirty activists from across Colombia are attending a four-day training in the city of Cartagena designed to encourage LGBT people to become more involved in the country’s political process. The training is the second to take place in the South American country as part of the USAID-backed LGBT Global Development Partnership that will contribute $11 million over the next four years to advocacy groups in Ecuador and other developing countries.
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