Public Affairs Office
Press Release
November 13, 2023
The U.S. Embassy in Port au Prince through the U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded the World Food Programme (WFP) $33 million
Port-au-Prince 09 November 2023 – The U.S. Embassy in Port au Prince through the U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded the World Food Programme (WFP) $33 million to provide hot school meals to approximately 75,000 Haitian pre-primary and primary students in Nord and Nord-Est Departments between 2024 and 2028.
The new award comes under the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program (MGD) and aims to increase school enrollment and retention, promote good nutrition, water sanitation and hygiene practices, and improve literacy of school-age children by improving the quality of classroom instruction. The award will be implemented in close collaboration with the Ministry of Education.
The current McGovern-Dole project, which concludes in 2024, has provided school meals to approximately 100,000 students in Nord, Nord Est, and Grand’Anse Departments.
In line with the Government of Haiti’s strategy to use locally purchased commodities for school meals, MGD funding will be used for a combination of traditional and home-grown school meals. A total of 5,600 metric tons (MT) of donated U.S. commodities, including vegetable oil, rice, beans, lentils, and bulgur, in addition to over 2,000 MT of Haitian-grown commodities, will be used to produce the meals.
In collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, USDA through its on-the-ground implementation partner WFP will work with existing local partner Organisations de Producteurs Agricoles (OPA) to ensure availability of facilities for the aggregation, packaging, and marketing of fresh produce and dry commodities. WFP and partners will provide training to smallholder farmers, equipping them to provide high-quality products to supply the school meals program, while enhancing business skills and conservation techniques.
Since 2011, the U.S. Government has invested approximately $110 million under the USDA McGovern-Dole Program in Haiti. This program has funded school meals, education, and nutrition programs for women, infants, and children in countries with high food insecurity. By providing school meals, teacher training, and related education and nutrition support, McGovern-Dole projects have boosted school enrollment, increased attendance, and improved reading outcomes and literacy results for students around the world. For more information, visit https://www.fas.usda.gov/programs/mcgovern-dole-food-education-program.
