USDA Donating Ag Products to Guatemala

WASHINGTON - Aug 25/04 - SNS -- The USDA is donating 9,000 metric tons (MT) of U.S. agricultural commodities to Food for the Poor, a private voluntary organization, for a mother/child health and education program in Guatemala.

The commodities include 2,400 MT of rice, 1,200 MT of corn-soy blend, 1,200 MT of light red kidney beans, 1,200 MT of textured soy protein, 800 MT of buckwheat groats, 750 MT of soybean oil, 750 MT of wheat flour, 400 MT of buckwheat grits and 300 MT of raisins. Tenders to purchase the goods will be issued at a later date.

Food for the Poor, in conjunction with Caritas Arquidiocesana, will implement a direct feeding program for 118,000 children, mothers, teachers, caregivers and the volunteers who help with the program. The overall goal is to improve child health, child literacy, school attendance and early education in Guatemala to prepare children for primary school. In addition, Food for the Poor will provide deworming medication to the children and implement other educational activities.

The donation will be made under the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program, administered by the Foreign Agricultural Service. The McGovern-Dole program provides for USDA donations of agricultural commodities to promote education, child development and food security for some of the world’s poorest children. USDA expects to provide 70,000 MT of U.S. commodities to 13 countries under fiscal year 2004 McGovern-Dole donation agreements.