WISHH Working with IRD and USAID for Food Assistance in Liberia
June 24, 2010 - Reprinted from ASA Leader Letter - The American Soybean Association's World Initiative for Soy in Human Health (WISHH) is working with International Relief & Development (IRD) in Liberia as part of a McGovern-Dole School Feeding program that began earlier this month. The U.S. Department of Agriculture released tenders for 80 metric tons (MT) of soy protein isolate and 70 MT of defatted soy flour. These value added soy products will be used in the production of a drink and cookie that will be distributed to 30,000 school children as a daily snack. This marks the first time that soy protein isolate has been used in a U.S. government-supported food assistance program. WISHH worked with IRD in designing this program, and will be providing technical support to the beverage processor and baker.
WISHH is also working with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which approved a multi-year assistance program for Liberia that will utilize over 7,500 MT of defatted soy flour over a five-year period. The soy flour will be combined with cassava flour to produce a "Super Gari" that will be distributed to vulnerable households. This program is being led by Opportunities Industrialization Centers International, with partners including WISHH, Malnutrition Matters, and Shelter for Life.
