DUSHANBE, February 1, 2016, Asia-Plus -- The United States Government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), announced a new food security program that will operate in Khatlon province.

According to the U.S. Embassy in Dushanbe, USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator Ann Marie Yastishock, First Deputy Governor of Khatlon Qurbon Hakimzoda, USAID Central Asia Mission Director George Deikun, and USAID Tajikistan Country Director Katie McDonald on January 29 officially opened the new Feed the Future Tajikistan Agriculture and Water Activity, which aims to improve food security and nutrition of children and women of childbearing age in Khatlon Province.

Funded by USAID as part of Feed the Future, the U.S. Government’s global hunger and food security initiative, this three-year activity will support household and small commercial farmers to increase, diversify, and add value to their agricultural production.  To increase dietary diversity and improve nutrition in 12 target districts of western Khatlon, the program focuses on five nutrition sensitive agricultural sectors including: agricultural extension, vegetables, fruits, dairy, and irrigation water.

Feed the Future Tajikistan Agriculture and Water supports initiatives of Tajik universities, private enterprises, and NGOs which also provide services to household and small commercial farmers through agriculture extension services; access to quality production inputs; post-harvest handling, processing, and storage services; and product marketing services.  Program interventions also include funding and training to private food processors interested in improving processing and storage of fruit, vegetable, and dairy products; and support to private agriculture suppliers to increase and improve the supply of agricultural products, equipment, and services available in Khatlon.

Feed the Future is the U.S. Government’s global hunger and food security initiative. With a focus on smallholder farmers, particularly women, Feed the Future supports partner countries in developing their agriculture sectors to spur economic growth and trade that increase incomes and reduce hunger, poverty and undernutrition.

USAID is the leading American government agency building social and economic prosperity together with the people of Tajikistan and Central Asia.