RTI International Partners With Food for the Hungry to Help USAID Improve Food Security and Resilience in Ethiopia

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. —RTI International will partner with Food for the Hungry, an international relief, development and advocacy organization, to implement the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Poverty Reduced Sustainably in an Environment of Resilient and Vibrant Economy (PReSERVE) program in the Amhara Region in northern Ethiopia. The five-year program aims to build resilience in this highly vulnerable region by improving access to nutritious foods, increasing incomes and providing income-generating opportunities for women and youth.

“RTI is honored to partner with Food for the Hungry and USAID on Ethiopia PReSERVE as the program’s lead on adaptive management and strengthening agricultural markets,” said Paul Weisenfeld, executive vice president for international development at RTI. “We’re proud to be able to leverage our more than 25 years of experience working with public and private sector partners in Ethiopia to improve the health and wellbeing of the nation’s people.”

The nine districts targeted through the project – in the Wag Himra, South Gondar and Central Gondar zones – suffer from high levels of food insecurity caused by poor accessibility, affordability and availability of nutritious foods. The area has traditionally lacked the ability to produce nutrient-dense foods due to erratic rainfall, land degradation and inadequate agricultural practices.

About 26 percent of the population in the Amhara Region lives in poverty. Approximately 89 percent of its population derives its income from agriculture, making the sector one of the key levers to spur inclusive economic growth that can improve lives and livelihoods. PReSERVE will help reduce poverty by improving access to markets, providing literacy and life skills training, and supporting formal and informal employment opportunities for youth. PReSERVE will also improve access to adequate clean water and sanitation, which is closely linked to good nutrition outcomes. In addition, the program will strengthen the famine early warning system in the Amhara Region to enable stronger community preparedness and resilience in response to disasters and other factors that cause fragility.

Read Food for the Hungry’s press release here: https://reliefweb.int/report/ethiopia/food-hungry-awarded-143m-usaid-grant-improve-food-security-poverty-stricken-amhara

About USAID: The U.S. Agency for International Development administers the U.S. foreign assistance program providing economic and humanitarian assistance in more than 80 countries worldwide. For more information, visit www.usaid.gov.