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U.S. Gives US$3.5m For Sch. Feeding
January 22, 2010

US Ambassador to Liberia, Linda Thomas-Greenfield.

The United States government has provided US$3.5 million in support of the school feeding program in rural Liberia. The program is implemented by Liberia's Education Ministry in partnership with the UN World Food Program (WFP). Funds for this contribution were provided through a congressional supplemental approved last year to mitigate the impact of the Global Financial Crisis in developing countries. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has been a major donor to WFP operations in Liberia, contributing more than US$55 million since 2003. The USAID contribution will fund the distribution of an estimated three months of daily cooked meals to more than 300,000 rural primary school children in seven counties as well as take home food to girls attending schools with high gender disparities.

“This donation comes at a time when we are even looking to borrow food to feed all targeted children each month,” says WFP Country Representative Louis Imbleau. “With this gift, the American people are giving children in rural schools a generous New Year present that will take them a long way into 2010” Louis Imbleau added. About half a million dollars will be used to purchase locally produced rice from smallholder farmers under the “Purchase for Progress” initiative. The rice will be distributed in the school feeding program and will also take home food for girls in grades four to six, in order to encourage families to keep girls in school. School attendance records show 15% or higher gender disparity in favor of boys.

The Purchase for Progress is a WFP local procurement initiative implemented in Liberia with the Ministry of Agriculture and others to provide an incentive for increased food production in Liberia, particularly rice, by generating strong demand and creating a fair and predictable market accessible to local smallholder producers.

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		U.S. Gives US$3.5m For Sch. Feeding January 22, 2010 US Ambassador to Liberia, Linda Thomas-Greenfield. The United States government has provided US$3.5 million in support of the school feeding program in rural Liberia. The program is implemented by Liberia's Education Ministry in partnership with the UN World Food Program (WFP). Funds for this contribution were provided through a congressional supplemental approved last year to mitigate the impact of the Global Financial Crisis in developing countries. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has been a major donor to WFP operations in Liberia, contributing more than US$55 million since 2003. The USAID contribution will fund the distribution of an estimated three months of daily cooked meals to more than 300,000 rural primary school children in seven counties as well as take home food to girls attending schools with high gender disparities. “This donation comes at a time when we are even looking to borrow food to feed all targeted children each month,” says WFP Country Representative Louis Imbleau. “With this gift, the American people are giving children in rural schools a generous New Year present that will take them a long way into 2010” Louis Imbleau added. About half a million dollars will be used to purchase locally produced rice from smallholder farmers under the “Purchase for Progress” initiative. The rice will be distributed in the school feeding program and will also take home food for girls in grades four to six, in order to encourage families to keep girls in school. School attendance records show 15% or higher gender disparity in favor of boys. The Purchase for Progress is a WFP local procurement initiative implemented in Liberia with the Ministry of Agriculture and others to provide an incentive for increased food production in Liberia, particularly rice, by generating strong demand and creating a fair and predictable market accessible to local smallholder producers. Inquiry