U.S contributes $7.9mn to UN’s food program

By Julius Businge

The U.S. Mission in Uganda today (Dec.17) announced a contribution of $7.9 million toward agriculture and market access activities of the UN World Food Program (WFP), the UN’s agency said in a statement released on Dec. 17.

The U.S. agency for International Development (USAID), through the U.S. Government’s Feed the Future initiative, will deliver the funding on behalf of the American people.

The United States is the largest funder of WFP’s humanitarian and development programs. Feed the Future seeks to coordinate the resources of partners including the international community, the private sector, civil society, and multilateral institutions such as WFP to address immediate and longer-term impacts of hunger.

“By supporting WFP’s agriculture and market access programs in Uganda, it will be possible for farmers to realize increased incomes, create jobs by assisting farmers to access markets in a timely manner, and enhance their capacity to negotiate and receive fair prices for their farm products,” said U.S. Ambassador Scott DeLisi.

WFP Country Director Sory Ouane said this contribution will enable WFP to support agriculture in Uganda and advance the National Development Plan by building and upgrading warehouses, repairing feeder roads, training smallholder farmer groups in stores management, and providing market information. The support is expected to increase the agricultural incomes of about 154,000 people over two years.U.S contributes $7.9mn to UN’s food program