WASHINGTON, April 10 – The Governments of the United
States and Brazil formalized a partnership to improve food security in Latin
America and the Caribbean. The Memorandum of Understanding begins with a
trilateral agreement with the Government of Haiti to improve agriculture
practices and technologies.
“We are
excited about the opportunity to collaborate with Brazil and take advantage of
our countries’ relative expertise in agriculture,” said Mark Feierstein,
Assistant Administrator for Latin America and the Caribbean at USAID. “By
combining efforts, our countries can help others improve nutrition for rural
communities and increase incomes for poor farmers.”
In
Haiti, the partnership will primarily focus on sharing new technologies and
implementing exchange programs and training opportunities. The three
governments will: 1) test new varieties of maize, rice, beans, cowpeas and
other crops; 2) implement new farming systems that use less water, fertilizer,
and seeds; 3) improve mango production; 4) adopt technologies to store and
process grains and vegetables; 5) enable farmers to use their land to
sustainably produce both food and wood; 6) conduct exchange and training
programs for farmers and researchers; and 7) promote nutrition, specifically
for mothers and children.
“This
partnership leverages the expertise of Brazilians and Americans to make a
difference in food security in the region and directly help Haitians,” noted
Paul Weisenfeld, Assistant to the Administrator for the Bureau of Food Security
at USAID.
The
partnership builds upon the U.S. government’s Feed the Future initiative to
help nearly 567,000 vulnerable Haitian women, children, and family members
escape hunger and poverty and to provide 176,000 children with services to
improve their nutrition and prevent stunting and child mortality.
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