New McGovern-Dole Projects to Benefit More Than 2.5 Million Children Worldwide

Contact: FAS Food Assistance Division, (202) 720-4221

WASHINGTON, August 10, 2015—The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) today announced that seven school feeding projects, to be supported by the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program in fiscal year 2015, will potentially benefit more than 2.5 million children in Africa and Central America.

Through the McGovern-Dole Program, FAS works with private voluntary organizations and foreign governments in developing countries around the globe to reduce hunger and improve literacy and primary education.

“By providing school meals, teacher training and related support, McGovern-Dole projects help boost school enrollment and academic performance, with a special focus on girls,” said FAS Administrator Phil Karsting. “At the same time, the program focuses on improving children’s health and learning capacity before they enter school by offering nutrition programs for pregnant and nursing women, infants and pre-schoolers.

“The ultimate goal of the McGovern-Dole program is to effect sustainable, lasting change,” Karsting said. “FAS and our partner organizations work to ensure that the communities we serve will ultimately be able to continue the sponsored activities on their own or with support from other sources such as the host government or local community.”

FAS provides U.S. agricultural commodities, as well as financial and technical assistance, to support McGovern-Dole projects worldwide. In FY 2015, FAS is donating U.S.-produced corn, corn-soy blend, lentils, green and yellow split peas, fortified rice, vegetable oil and pinto beans.

The seven new McGovern-Dole projects being supported by FAS in FY 2015 are in addition to 28 projects ongoing in 21 countries. Since the program was established in 2002, it has benefited more than 30 million children in 38 countries.

Click here for more information about the McGovern-Dole Program. 

Click here for a table summarizing this year's McGovern-Dole projects.

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