Ethiopian Journal

March 17, 2010 (Ethjo) - Tanzania is among seven African countries that will benefit from a donation of more than 100,000 tons of agricultural commodities valued at US$170 million from the Ameri can people under the Food for Education programme this year, the US Embassy here said Monday. 

Food assistance to be provided to Tanzania under the programme is valued at nearly US$8 million and will benefit 244,315 children.

The Food for Education programme helps support education, child development and food security in low-income countries that are committed to universal education. It provides a healthy meal, often the only on e they receive, for millions of children, mothers and infants in developing countries around the world each day.

Under the programme, the US donates agricultural products, as well as financial and technical assistance for school feeding and maternal and child nutrition projects. To date, the programme has provided meals to more than 22 million children.

'This year's allocations will feed more than 4.8 million children in 18 deve loping countries,' the embassy said, naming Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Senegal and Uganda as other African countries that will benefit from this programme.

Administered by the US Department of Agriculture, the Food for Education Program me complements the nearly US$9 million in food assistance provided to Tanzania from the American people in 2010 under the Food for Progres s Programme benefiting more than 1.5 million Tanzanians.

Through the US Agency for International Development, in partnership with the Wor ld Food Programme of the United Nations, the American people also support Tanzanian school feeding programmes, providing two meals a day for a year to 400,000 children in 600 primary schools in drought-prone districts of Arusha, Manyara, Dodoma and Singida regions.

Overall support from the American people to Tanzania's agriculture sector impr oves productivity, access to credit, and food processing capacity to help Tanzania overcome regional and seasonal food insecurity and boost family incomes, especially among women smallholder farmers.

'Given Tanzania's enormous agricultural potential, this assistance supports Tanzania's goals of achieving food self-sufficiency, improving the business climate for agriculture, and eventually becoming a major food exporter to the region and the world,' the embassy statement added. (Afriquejet)