USAID Celebrates Georgia’s Europe-Oriented Agriculture Development

USAID Celebrates Georgia’s Europe-Oriented Agriculture Development

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TBILISI, Georgia— The USAID Agriculture Program will host a celebration of Georgia’s Europe-oriented agriculture development over the past five and half years at Paragraph Freedom Square in Tbilisi on February 28, 2024 from 2 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. GET. The event will highlight key achievements of the Program, through which USAID has partnered with the Government of Georgia and the private sector to advance agriculture development.

Since 2018, the $26.88 million USAID Agriculture Program, implemented by Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA), has partnered with Georgia to accelerate the growth and economic impact of agricultural sub-sectors across the country, creating jobs, improving incomes and increasing revenues from micro-small and medium enterprises. Over the last five and a half years, the USAID Agriculture Program provided $7.6 million in grant funding and leveraged more than $20 million in private sector investment. It has also created more than 6,000 new full-time jobs, supported 480 participants with technical assistance, improved the management practices and technologies for more than 1,000 agricultural enterprises and helped 71 enterprises implement international food safety systems or obtain relevant certifications. The Program particularly supported agricultural sub-sectors with the potential to grow through enhanced export capacity and increased access to new markets. These included the berry, culinary herb, stone fruit, perishable vegetable, pome fruit, table grape, mandarin, nut crop and wine sub-sectors.

USAID provided this assistance in partnership with the Government of Georgia and private sector actors including the Rural Development Agency (RDA), the National Wine Agency of Georgia, the Georgian Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Enterprise Georgia, the Georgian Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, international donor organizations, financial institutions and media outlets, together with the ambition and desire to reach new markets expressed by Program participants, significant outcomes have been achieved.

With Georgia recently being granted European Union candidate status, the USAID-supported development of its agriculture sector has enabled a continued trajectory of economic growth with potential to expand trade and obtain international food safety certifications, leading to high-quality fresh produce from Georgia becoming a staple in grocery stores and food markets across Europe and other key export markets.

The celebration event will be led by Naniko Khazaradze and Nikoloz Tsulukidze, hosts of the Program’s acclaimed AgriTalk platform, and will include special presentations by the U.S. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Georgia, the Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, and the Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development.

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.

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 About USAID in Georgia: USAID first opened its doors in Georgia in 1992. In total, USAID has invested approximately $1.9 billion in programs to help Georgia to build effective and accountable public institutions; improved education, healthcare, and other public services; an economy that creates jobs and prosperity for workers, families, and communities across the country; and democratic processes that put citizens at the center. USAID currently invests in 40 development programs that support Georgia in a number of key areas – economic growth, energy security, education, democratic governance, and many others – all of which are aligned with Georgia’s domestic priorities to strengthen its security, prosperity, and democracy and to continue advancing toward Europe. For more information, please visit: https://www.usaid.gov/georgia.

 About CNFA: Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture is an international agricultural development organization that specializes in the design and implementation of sustainable, enterprise-based agricultural initiatives. We work with businesses, foundations, governments, and communities to build customized local and global partnerships that meet the world’s growing demand for food. Since our inception in 1985, we have designed and implemented enterprise-based, agricultural development initiatives to facilitate market access, enhance agribusiness competitiveness, increase productivity, and improve access to inputs and financing in 49 countries around the world.

CNFA Awarded Farmer-to-Farmer Program in Southern Africa

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CNFA to continue boosting productivity, incomes through volunteer technical assistance in Madagascar, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe 

WASHINGTON, D.C.— The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has awarded Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA) with a five-year (2023-2028), $8.5 million cooperative agreement to implement the USAID-funded John Ogonowski and Doug Bereuter Farmer-to-Farmer Program (F2F) in Madagascar, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The award includes a supplementary associate award mechanism that offers F2F implementers access to additional USAID funding of up to $34 million for related programming or activities. USAID administers the U.S. foreign assistance program providing economic and humanitarian assistance in more than 80 countries worldwide.

Since 1992, CNFA has facilitated volunteer assignments under F2F, reaching farmers and agribusinesses in 21 different countries during that time span. Most recently, CNFA implemented the F2F Program in Madagascar, Malawi, Moldova, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe from 2018-2023, supporting over 447 volunteer assignments by collaborating on market-driven solutions that increase agricultural productivity and incomes.

“The longevity of the Program is a testament of the effectiveness of international development in driving global and sustainable collaboration to improve livelihoods and food security,” said Sylvain Roy, CNFA’s president and CEO. “At CNFA, we look forward to continuing the Program with a strong focus on innovation, particularly through partnerships with the USAID-funded Innovation Labs, universities and numerous other program- and country-level partners.”

Under the award, CNFA will work to connect U.S. volunteer experts with farmer groups, agribusinesses, trade associations, agricultural finance providers and other agriculture sector institutions to help strengthen production, develop enterprises, facilitate access to financial services and improve conservation and the sustainable use of environmental and natural resources. This work is reinforced by CNFA’s collaboration with Feed the Future Innovation Labs, U.S. universities and researchers and leaders in the U.S. agribusiness sector, from whom the Program will draw on to incorporate innovative technologies, practices and tools that boost productivity, but also to recruit volunteers with excellent technical expertise. Additionally, the Program will continue its Processor-to-Processor initiative, a collaboration with the American Oil Chemists Society (AOCS) and Feed the Future Soybean Innovation Lab, which places AOCS members as volunteers to support agro-processors in Southern Africa.

With the overall goal of fostering sustainable, agriculture-led economic growth in Southern Africa, the Program aims to design and carry out 324 volunteer assignments and provide at least 16,600 agricultural stakeholders—of whom the majority will be women—with technical agriculture and agribusiness management support. The Program also expects to work with over 200 agriculture-related organizations, with a projected impact of a $6 million increase in sales and an increase in net incomes by an estimated $2.7 million.

To achieve the F2F Program’s secondary goal of expanding public understanding of development issues, CNFA will continue implementing its strong outreach program initiated during the 2018-2023 cycle. This includes expanding the F2F Ambassador Program, which leverages the expertise of seasoned volunteers to network, engage and encourage individuals and organizations in their communities to join the F2F Program.

Finally, following the success of paired-remote assignments initiated during COVID-19, USAID will also allow U.S. F2F volunteers to collaborate virtually again with local volunteers working in the field to further the Program’s objectives from afar.

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About CNFA: Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture is an international agricultural development organization that specializes in the design and implementation of sustainable, enterprise-based agricultural initiatives. We work with businesses, foundations, governments, and communities to build customized local and global partnerships that meet the world’s growing demand for food. Since our inception in 1985, we have designed and implemented enterprise-based, agricultural development initiatives to facilitate market access, enhance agribusiness competitiveness, increase productivity, and improve access to inputs and financing in 49 countries around the world.

 

USAID Launches Economic Foundations for a Resilient Armenia Activity

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YEREVAN, Armenia –The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has officially launched the Economic Foundations for a Resilient Armenia Activity with a $24.5 million budget.

The primary objective of this activity is to strengthen Armenia’s economic resilience, and promote competitiveness and economic governance through close cooperation with both the government and the private sector. This five-year activity aims to facilitate the mobilization of $60 million through the Investment Mobilization Platform and lead to increased sales for 750 firms. Additionally, the activity will contribute to the enhancement of the business and investment climate by assisting in the drafting of key legal documents.

“The U.S. Government, through USAID, is committed to aiding Armenia’s economic growth. This involves partnering with the private sector to bring in investments, technology, and knowledge; improving the business environment, providing investment incentives, and creating economic development policies. The Economic Foundations activity is not starting from scratch. USAID is building on past and current support in key sectors like economic governance, tourism, agriculture and high-tech industries to bolster our efforts for a more resilient Armenia,” said John G. Allelo, USAID/Armenia Mission director, in his opening remarks.

Through targeted initiatives, the activity will focus on delivering technical assistance to the government, working with the private sector and associations in key areas of agriculture, tourism and high-tech industries.

“We are hopeful that the activity will address the underlying root causes of some of the major challenges faced by the Armenian economy, which will have a significant long-term effect in building the economic security of Armenia,”” said Vahan Kerobyan, the Minister of Economy of the Republic of Armenia.

The activity seeks to achieve four complementary objectives: targeting key government partners to increase institutional and human capacity; building export competitiveness of the targeted sectors; supporting catalytic investments; and assisting Armenia to address economic shocks and opportunities.

“We expect that Economic Foundations will introduce innovative, scalable and sustainable solutions and advance inter-industry collaboration resulting in increased effectiveness of the economic policy of Armenia, strengthen export competitiveness, and improve productive use of financial capital,” said Gevorg Mantashyan, First Deputy Minister of High-Tech Industry of the Republic of Armenia, in his opening remarks.

As a result, through its multiple initiatives, the activity will assist the Government of Armenia to deliver effective economic stewardship, advance the capabilities of small and medium enterprises, increase access to global markets and diversify exports.

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.

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About CNFA: Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture is an international agricultural development organization that specializes in the design and implementation of sustainable, enterprise-based agricultural initiatives. We work with businesses, foundations, governments, and communities to build customized local and global partnerships that meet the world’s growing demand for food. Since our inception in 1985, we have designed and implemented enterprise-based, agricultural development initiatives to facilitate market access, enhance agribusiness competitiveness, increase productivity, and improve access to inputs and financing in 49 countries around the world.

CNFA Selected to Partner in Global Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Project

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Part of the consortium selected by USAID to implement ELEVATE Nutrition

Washington, D.C.Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA) is part of the consortium that will implement Enhancing Local Efforts for Vital, Transformative, and Evidence-Based Nutrition (ELEVATE Nutrition), a five-year, $99.5 million cooperative agreement funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

The project will work to advance the implementation of multi-sectoral nutrition policies and programs that improve women and children’s nutrition, by sharing and facilitating the use of relevant learning and best practices between countries and key stakeholder groups. CNFA joins a consortium led by FHI 360 to implement the project, bringing technical leadership and expertise related to nutrition-sensitive agriculture, market development, food systems interactions, conservation and transformation of foods, food loss and waste management, and community resilience. It will assist in carrying out activities that contribute to these areas, including the development of resources that improve learning to enhance evidence-based implementation approaches and methodologies.

“ELEVATE Nutrition is essential to advancing the health and well-being of millions, ensuring food security and improved nutrition outcomes” said Sylvain Roy, CNFA president and CEO. “A multi-sectoral approach will lead to strengthening the local supply of and demand for nutritious foods –including from an agricultural, markets and food systems perspective, improving dietary diversity and building an enabling environment that works to prevent malnutrition.”

Under ELEVATE Nutrition, CNFA will support project strategies, which may include improving the production and marketing of nutritious foods, identifying innovative food transformation and conservation techniques, reducing food loss and waste, enhancing food safety, engaging the private sector, fostering climate-smart and nutrition-sensitive best practices and developing capacity building resources. ELEVATE Nutrition will also support multisector nutrition monitoring and evaluation, knowledge management and research for use by policymakers, implementing partners and communities at the country level.

Along with FHI 360, CNFA will be collaborating with Action Against Hunger, Bixal, Oxford Policy Management and GEMNet-Health to implement ELEVATE Nutrition.

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.

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About CNFA: Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture is an international agricultural development organization that specializes in the design and implementation of sustainable, enterprise-based agricultural initiatives. We work with businesses, foundations, governments, and communities to build customized local and global partnerships that meet the world’s growing demand for food. Since our inception in 1985, we have designed and implemented enterprise-based, agricultural development initiatives to facilitate market access, enhance agribusiness competitiveness, increase productivity, and improve access to inputs and financing in 47 countries around the world.

Feed the Future Nigeria Agribusiness Investment Activity Featured in U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Nigeria Press Release

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The Feed the Future Nigeria Agribusiness Investment Activity gathered with over 150 partners, participants and public and private sector representatives to celebrate its achievements over the past five years working with communities in Nigeria to strengthen the enabling environment for agribusiness finance and investment. During this time, the activity worked with more than 18,000 micro, small and medium enterprises across the Benue, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Kaduna, Kebbi and Niger states, mobilizing $244 million (118 billion Naira) in agricultural investment and helping them expand their operations.

Check out the U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Nigeria press release to learn more.

CNFA Delegation Visits USDA PRO-Cashew Project in Benin

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The five-year project is boosting the competitiveness of West African cashew producers by improving efficiency and quality in production and trade.

COTONOU, Benin—A delegation of CNFA’s Board of Directors and team members from Washington D.C. and West Africa met with cashew producers, processors and key public and private sector officials in Benin to gain a better understanding of the country’s agriculture sector and experience firsthand the activities implemented by CNFA under the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) West Africa PRO-Cashew Project. The visit took place from March 26-29, 2023, under the leadership of Mike Espy, chair of CNFA’s Board of Directors.

“During our visit we saw firsthand how strong public-private partnerships can facilitate investment, provide jobs and transform rural economies by improving cashew quality, boosting sales and strengthening the environment for production and trade,” said Espy. “Our interactions with key stakeholders also exemplified the value that agricultural development initiatives like PRO-Cashew have on supporting West African producers to improve their farming practices and export competitiveness.”

While in Benin, the delegation traveled to Bohicon to tour the Korosho Factory and Orchard, a PRO-Cashew Agriculture Extension Grantee working to improve the quality of raw cashew nuts by building farmer capacity through trained extension agents. They also traveled to Glo-Djigbé to tour the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone, an area near Cotonou dedicated to creating jobs, transforming the local agriculture sector and advancing agricultural products like cashew. The delegation then met with high-level government officials from Benin and the U.S., including Gaston Dossouhoui, Benin’s Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, U.S. Ambassador Brian Shukan and Gerald Smith, USDA’s Regional Attaché for Cameroon, Benin and Nigeria.

Recounting the trip, Sylvain Roy, CNFA’s President and CEO, reiterated the importance of developing strong relationships with local partners such as the National Federation of Cashew Growers of Benin and the National Institute of Agricultural Research of Benin to continue strengthening farmers’ capacity in climate-smart agriculture, promoting more coherent regional trade and investment policies and ensuring sustainable growth in the country’s cashew sector.

“By strengthening producer capacities, facilitating regional cooperation between industry stakeholders and providing tools for producers to sustainably renovate and rehabilitate their farms, PRO-Cashew is helping stimulate the demand for West African cashews in international markets,” said Roy. “This is critical to increasing regional economic growth and improving incomes and food security for local producers.”

Board members participating in the delegation included:

As the second-largest consumer of cashews globally, the U.S. has been consistently ranked as one of the top three cashew importers.[1][2] West African cashew production and exports are growing faster than that of any other region, making these countries ideal trading partners as the U.S. demand for cashews continues to grow. The five-year PRO-Cashew Project works to boost the competitiveness of West African cashew producers by improving efficiency, quality and investment in production and trade. PRO-Cashew aims to support over 700,000 producers by 2024 and, in doing so, improve the sale of raw cashew nuts from West Africa. Funded through the U.S. government’s Food for Progress Program, PRO-Cashew is currently implemented by CNFA in Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Nigeria.

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About CNFA: Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture is an international agricultural development organization that specializes in the design and implementation of sustainable, enterprise-based agricultural initiatives. We work with businesses, foundations, governments, and communities to build customized local and global partnerships that meet the world’s growing demand for food. Since our inception in 1985, we have designed and implemented enterprise-based, agricultural development initiatives to facilitate market access, enhance agribusiness competitiveness, increase productivity, and improve access to inputs and financing in 47 countries around the world.

[1] https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/top-cashew-consuming-countries.html

[2] https://www.worldstopexports.com/top-cashews-exports-imports-by-country-plus-average-prices/

CNFA Launches Feed the Future Rwanda Hinga Wunguke Activity

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WASHINGTON, D.C.Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA), an international agricultural development organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., has launched the five-year Feed the Future Rwanda Hinga Wunguke Activity designed to increase the incomes of Rwandan farmers and agribusinesses, boosting agricultural productivity and bolstering domestic consumption and availability of high-value, nutritious agricultural products.

CNFA began implementation of the USAID-funded Hinga Wunguke Activity in January 2023, joined by MarketShare Associates, a Denver-based socially driven consulting firm, to engage the public and private sectors in facilitating inclusive, locally driven and sustainable change to Rwanda’s agricultural sector.

Aptly named Hinga Wunguke, which translates to “grow profitable” in Kinyarwanda, CNFA will leverage experience and expertise gained from its earlier implementation of the Feed the Future Rwanda Hinga Weze activity from 2017 to 2022, during which the program worked with about 734,583 farmers to increase crop production by adopting agricultural best practices and strengthening market linkages.

“Although the agricultural sector in Rwanda faces significant climate-related challenges, we are confident that the introduction of new tools and technologies will give its farmers the ability to maximize growth, improve food security and increase the consumption of nutritious foods,” said CNFA President and CEO Sylvain Roy. “We look forward to working with local and global partners to facilitate sustainable change while boosting agricultural productivity.”

Through Hinga Wunguke, CNFA and its partners will promote policies that drive private-sector investment and growth. They will also work with local market system actors across 13 districts in Rwanda to scale approaches and identify entrepreneurs that can drive positive change, while bringing in new expertise as needed to achieve the program’s objectives.

The Activity will work to strengthen farmers’ resilience in the face of climate change, increase their profitability and enhance their access to finance, markets and improved inputs, technologies and agricultural practices.

CNFA will collaborate with other USAID Rwanda implementing partners to strengthen the enabling environment for market-driven agriculture and foster a policy climate that bolsters the GOR’s role as an enabler and increases the private sector’s role as a main driver of agricultural growth.

Activity targets include helping 500,000 farmers improve their resilience in the face of climate change, facilitating $20 million in agricultural financing and increasing dietary diversity by 30% for women of reproductive age. Hinga Wunguke will:

  • Increase agricultural productivity with improved agricultural practices by facilitating access to knowledge, information and improved inputs and technologies. This aims to increase productivity, while promoting sustainable agriculture and strengthening resilience to shocks, such as the environmental and economic impacts of climate change.
  • Facilitate access to finance for farmers and agribusinesses by enhancing the financial literacy skills of farmers and agribusinesses so they can obtain and manage funding to boost production. Hinga Wunguke will also prioritize engagement with the private sector to increase value chain financing and farm and agribusiness investment opportunities.
  • Improve market availability and demand for nutritious foods by expanding farmers’ access to markets while increasing the availability and consumption of safe and nutritious food for Rwandan consumers. The Activity will accomplish this by using a market systems approach to support the private sector in developing and promoting nutritious products. It then will help generate demand by educating consumers on the benefits of nutritious products.
  • Strengthen the enabling environment for market-driven agriculture through close collaboration with other USAID/Rwanda implementing partners to foster an environment where the development and implementation of policies strengthen the GOR’s role as an enabler and where the private sector acts as a main driver of agricultural growth. This includes facilitating public-private dialogues that enhance the GOR’s ability to work with the private sector to invest in and lead systemic changes that modernize the agriculture sector and drive inclusive growth.

Additional information on the project can be found here.

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About CNFA: Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture is an international agricultural development organization that specializes in the design and implementation of sustainable, enterprise-based agricultural initiatives. We work with businesses, foundations, governments, and communities to build customized local and global partnerships that meet the world’s growing demand for food. Since our inception in 1985, we have designed and implemented enterprise-based, agricultural development initiatives to facilitate market access, enhance agribusiness competitiveness, increase productivity, and improve access to inputs and financing in 47 countries around the world.

USACC and USAID to Host Conference Presenting Azerbaijan as a Hub for Trade in the Middle Corridor

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BALTIMORE, MD – On Monday, December 12, at 9:00 a.m. EST, USAID will join the United States-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce (USACC), the Global Chamber, and the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the United States of America, to host the conference at the World Trade Center Constellation Room in Baltimore.

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine continues to cause disruptions in supply chains and food insecurity throughout the region and globally. During the Conference, USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator Sokolowski will discuss how USAID programming in Azerbaijan, with its emphasis on private sector engagement and encouraging greater regional economic connectivity, can benefit Azerbaijan and its neighbors.

“USAID is also seeking ways to grow Azerbaijan’s role in regional and global trade. This is why USAID is expanding its efforts in Azerbaijan to support the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, also known as the Middle Corridor. Today’s conference is a testament to our commitment to help grow this route into an enduring regional pathway,” said Alexander Sokolowski, Deputy Assistant Administrator for Europe and Eurasia, USAID.

The Middle Corridor is an emerging transit route connecting economies from Central Asia to the South Caucasus and on into eastern Europe. During this industry-based conference, importers, exporters, shippers, consignees, freight forwarders and other trade players will have the opportunity to exchange ideas and discuss air cargo connectivity and port development in Azerbaijan, the Central Eurasia region and beyond.

To attend the conference, please register here.

CNFA Elects Espy as Chair

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Former Agriculture Secretary to Assume Helm of CNFA Board

WASHINGTON, D.C.Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA), an international agricultural development organization, announced that A. Michael (Mike) Espy, former secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, has been appointed to chair the CNFA Board of Directors. Espy was voted into the position with the unanimous support of board members following CNFA’s fall board meeting in Des Moines, Iowa, during the World Food Prize Foundation’s 2022 Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue.

Effective January 1, 2023, Espy succeeds Elin Miller who will continue to serve as a member of the CNFA Board. Miller served as the chair of the board from 2017 to 2022.

Prior to serving as agriculture secretary during the Clinton administration, Espy served seven years as U.S. representative for the 2nd District of Mississippi. On both occasions, he was the first African American to hold the position. Currently, he works as a private sector attorney, counselor and agricultural advisor, running his own law firm, Mike Espy, PLLC. He has been a member of the CNFA Board since 2008 and will be the first African American to serve as chair.

“I am grateful for having had the privilege of contributing to the growth and advancement of CNFA’s critical work to ensure the nutritional and economic well-being of underserved rural populations around the world,” said Miller. “I also am pleased to pass the helm to such a capable successor. Mike’s extensive experience as a top agricultural executive in both the public and private sectors brings CNFA a leader who is exceptionally well equipped to bring those two entities together to accomplish the goals of our organization.”

Elected to Congress in 1986, Espy served as a member of the Budget and Agriculture Committees, and as a member of the Domestic Task Force of the Select Committee on Hunger. Prior to that, he worked as a trial lawyer and served as assistant attorney general and director of the Mississippi Office of Consumer Protection. He served in a number of other positions in Mississippi, including as assistant secretary of state, and director of the Office of Public Lands. He has also worked with various international non-profit organizations in Africa, including serving for six years as a senior advisor and legal counsel for an international food charity that grew to be the ninth-largest food charity in the world during his time there, feeding millions every day.

“Mike has consistently made valuable contributions to our mission during his years as a CNFA board member,” said CNFA President and CEO Sylvain Roy. “He combines solid government and agricultural expertise with a practical, on-the-ground style that melds perfectly with CNFA’s approach to international development. We look forward to making even greater use of his skills as we continue to work with private- and public-sector partners to help meet the world’s growing demand for food. CNFA also wishes to thank Elin Miller for her work to improve the governance of our organization and advance our strategic objectives over the past several years.”

“I am honored that the CNFA Board has entrusted me to chair this extraordinary organization,” Espy said. “I look forward to working closely with them to ensure the continued success of our current initiatives around the world—and of those yet to come.”

CNFA was founded in 1985 as the Citizens Network for Foreign Affairs with the aim of building a broader public understanding of U.S. international relationships and its increasing importance, particularly with regard to developing countries. In the 1990s, CNFA found success linking agribusinesses to agricultural inputs, through programs funded by USAID and USDA. The USAID Farm Store Program (1999-2002), implemented by CNFA in Moldova, was especially successful and launched Farm Service Centers, which continue to connect agribusinesses with quality inputs and services in over 200 locations across seven different countries. CNFA changed its name in 2007 to be more representative of its focus on international agricultural development. Today, the organization partners with communities around the world to facilitate market access, enhance agribusiness competitiveness, increase productivity and improve access to inputs and financing. With the number of people globally almost doubling since CNFA’s inception, these initiatives are necessary to feed a population that continues to grow.

“With the global population surpassing 8 billion people, now more than ever it is critical that the most vulnerable groups have access to the resources they need to sustain a healthy livelihood,” said Espy. “As chair, I will make sure that CNFA continues to go above and beyond to work with local and global partners to meet the world’s growing demand for food.”

A native of Yazoo City, Mississippi, Espy graduated from Howard University and holds a law degree from the Santa Clara University School of Law.

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About CNFA: Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA) is an international agricultural development organization that specializes in the design and implementation of sustainable, enterprise-based agricultural initiatives. CNFA works with businesses, foundations, governments, and communities to build customized local and global partnerships that meet the world’s growing demand for food. Since its inception in 1985, CNFA has designed and implemented enterprise-based, agricultural development initiatives to facilitate market access, enhance agribusiness competitiveness, increase productivity and improve access to inputs and financing in 47 countries.