Food and Enterprise Development (FED) Activity Highlights for August 1st-15th, 2013
During the first two weeks in August the FED program saw the beginnings of promising harvests in both the PUA and cassava value chains. Throughout both upland and lowland rice sites work has intensified with canal, plots and bund construction ongoing and widespread seed transplanting taking place throughout FED’s six counties of operation, Margibi, Montserrado, Bong, Lofa, Nimba and Grand Bassa.
6 Goat feeders have been distributed this month to lead farmer sites throughout FED’s counties of operation and 178 goats were treated and dewormed this period. 18 participants were trained in the advantages of mineral salt lick usage at their sites.
At 30 PUA sites layouts have been taking place and planting of corn, peanuts and beans is underway.
Work on preparations for the input supply pilot voucher program is ongoing and is scheduled to roll out next month across Nimba and Lofa.
On August 2, FED was informed by United States African Development Agency (USADF) that they are awarding grants to four beneficiaries in cassava processing due to FED’s assistance. Estimated grant amounts are $50K USD each ($200K USD Total). This was a culmination of activities organized by FED to support the development of cassava processors to supply the HANDS project with gari.
Between August 1-15, FED along with Grand Bassa Community College (GBCC) and USAID’s Advancing Youth Project (AYP) 12 GBCC students learnt crucial leadership skills.