More Food Aid for Africa; Glickman to Visit There

July 18, 2000

USDA will donate an additional 350,000 metric tons of U.S. wheat, corn, rice and other commodities to meet urgent needs in Africa and elsewhere. In total this year, USDA will provide approximately 1 million tons in commodity donations for needy countries in Africa, nearly triple the tonnage provided for all of Africa last year.

"We are targeting these donations to drought_ravaged or war_afflicted countries, especially in the Horn of Africa where the drought continues to widen," Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman said during remarks to the United Nations' Economic and Social Council. "These donations reflect the American tradition of sharing our abundance with the hungry, the displaced, and those who most desperately need our help around the world."

Glickman also announced that he will travel to Africa later this month to visit Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa. He will meet with government officials, business leaders, representatives of private voluntary organizations, and other African citizens to discuss agricultural trade, hunger, food insecurity infrastructure, and health care issues facing Africa today.

Of the approximately 350,000 metric tons in additional U.S. commodity donations announced today, about 310,000 tons will be distributed through the U.N. World Food Program. Countries that will receive commodities under this announcement include several in the Greater Horn of Africa -- Sudan and Kenya; Angola, Congo_Brazzaville, and Morocco. Recipient countries outside Africa include Afghanistan and Moldova. Specific commodities and quantities by country will be announced later.

Prior to this announcement, USDA had allocated more than 750,000 tons in U.S. commodities for donation to African countries under fiscal 2000 food aid programs, including nearly 600,000 tons for Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, and Sudan.

The new donations, valued at an estimated $145 million, will be provided under USDA's Section 416(b) authority. The donated commodities will be provided from Commodity Credit Corporation stocks acquired through surplus purchases.