In 2009, President Obama called on global leaders to increase their focus on food security and hunger. Since then, the United States has partnered with African nations to spur increased agricultural growth, improve nutrition, and move people out of poverty.
President Barack Obama and USAID Administrator Raj Shah attend a Feed the Future Technology Marketplace in Dakar, Senegal, June 28, 2013.
(Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
Today, as part of our trip to three African countries, President Obama highlighted this partnership by meeting with farmers, innovators, and entrepreneurs who are improving the lives of smallholder farmers in Africa with new technology and methods of agriculture. In the capital of Dakar, Senegal, he saw how women are using small-scale, efficient rice mills to save time for women and increase productivity. He heard of ways to fortify sweet potatoes and beans to increase nutritional benefits. And he witnessed examples of using mobile technology to coordinate production and sales for small farmers to compete.
Earlier in the morning, I participated in the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition roundtable. Also attending from the U.S. delegation were USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah, Special Assistant to the President and National Security Council Senior Director for Democracy and Development Gayle Smith, U.S. Ambassador to Senegal Lewis Lukens, Millennium Challenge Corporation CEO Daniel Yohannes, USAID Assistant Administrator for Africa Earl Gast, and Peace Corps Director for Senegal Chris Hedrick.
Fonte: White House