USDA Makes Several Overseas Donations

August 18, 2000

Lebanon, Morocco and Armenia are in line to receive donated commodities from USDA. For Lebanon, Mercy Corps International, a private voluntary organization will work with the department on some 73,000 tons of commodities, mostly wheat but also refined soybean oil.

MCI plans to sell the wheat and soybean oil in Lebanon. The proceeds will be used to support activities to increase the productivity of villagers engaged in agriculture, animal husbandry and agri-industries in southern Lebanon as well as provide full or partial scholarships to needy students attending the American University of Beirut (AUB) and the Lebanese American University (LAU). A portion of the proceeds also will be used to fund biotechnology research at AUB and to modernize equipment at one campus of LAU.

About 130,000 tons of wheat will be donated to Morocco. The wheat will be monetized and the proceeds will help support activities for rural road construction, potable water, well construction, livestock protection, and microcredit financing.

USDA and the Armenian Technology Group (ATG), a private voluntary organization, signed an agreement for the donation of wheat for monetization in Armenia. About 7,500 tons of wheat will be donated. ATG plans to monetize the wheat in Armenia. The proceeds will be used to support the seed industry and to help the country attain long-term food security through agricultural development and reform.

Another donation to Armenia is for 60,000 tons of wheat that will be monetized with proceeds going to support activities to improve agricultural productivity and to promote reforms supporting a functional banking system that includes credit essential to private agricultural development.