Agriculture Development, Women Empowerment and Child Health in Senegal, Niger and Congo

Mohammed bin Rashid Global expands partnerships in 3 African countries

  • The collaboration with Unitlife saves more than AED 5.5 million to support innovation in agriculture and food production and empower more than 300,<> people. From the source

  • Abdul Karim Al Olama: "Humanitarian and relief aid is a key axis of the work of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives."

  • Philippe Blazy: "Providing children with good nutrition provides them with a fairer start in their lives and helps them realize their potential."

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Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, through its "One Billion Meals" initiative, the largest in the region to provide food support to the poor and needy, especially vulnerable groups of children, refugees, displaced people and those affected by disasters and crises, in 50 countries around the world, announced its support for the United Nations Trust Fund (UNITLIFE), which aims to combat chronic malnutrition in regions of the world.

Under the collaboration, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives will provide AED 5.5 million to the United Nations Fund (UNITLIFE), which is governed by the Government of France, UN Women, the World Food Programme (WFP) and the EcoBank Foundation, to support the development of innovative solutions in agriculture, empower women and mothers, and combat malnutrition, especially among children, in Senegal, Niger and the Democratic Republic of Congo for the benefit of more than 300,<> people.

The partnership is a qualitative addition to the food support track provided by the Initiatives Foundation through the "One Billion Meals" initiative to individuals and families around the world, as it will support the sustainability of the food safety net it provides, finance the development of innovative local solutions in food systems to achieve food self-sufficiency, and promote smart individual and community farming methods that ensure access to healthy food throughout the year.

Dr. Abdulkareem Al Olama, Executive Director of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, said: "Humanitarian and relief aid is a key axis of the work of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, and this is what has been provided by a series of food support initiatives over the past three years, represented by the (10 million meals) campaigns in 2020, the (100 million meals) campaign in 2021, and the (One Billion Meals) initiative this year, and it now opens a new horizon for the sustainability of this food support in the less fortunate communities."

He added that the cooperation with Unitlife provides more than AED 5.5 million to support innovation in agriculture and food production, and to empower more than 300,<> people, especially vulnerable groups such as children and women in underprivileged communities in three countries, a step that enhances the added value of humanitarian and relief work, achieves innovation in it, and foresees best practices for its future and sustainability. Philippe Blazy, chairman of UnitLife, said the initiative is dedicated to combating chronic malnutrition by developing innovative systems that provide food, are climate-friendly and empower women. "Thanks to this partnership, UnitLife will be able to fund its operations exploring innovative solutions that are widely applicable in Niger, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Senegal, and establish a healthy future for today's children and for generations to come."

"Providing good nutrition for children provides them with a fairer start in their lives and helps them activate their potential," he said.

Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, through the "One Billion Meals" initiative, chose to provide support to Unitlife, as it works to develop ambitious programs and projects that accelerate the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for 2030, enhance food security, empower women and protect children from malnutrition.

In Senegal, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives is contributing AED 2.2 million to the two-year project to support integrated food resilience implemented by the NGO Action Against Hunger, covering 26 villages, and providing annually the equivalent of 730,30 nutritious meals, benefiting directly and indirectly 600,<> people.

It also supports healthy farm projects, the development of dairy industries and dairy products, and the promotion of concessional agricultural financing options for farmers.

In Niger, the Initiatives Foundation is contributing more than AED 1.1 million to the second phase of the project to improve the sustainability and production of food systems and production, develop food security, and enhance opportunities for inclusive financing, implemented by the NGO Goal Global, and will start in October 2022 to last a full year and include 20 villages, and annually provide the equivalent of 912,500 nutritious meals, benefiting directly and indirectly more than 142,485 people.

The main objectives of the programme are to improve the productivity of highly climate-resilient nutritious crops through partnerships with suppliers of improved seeds suitable for hot and dry climates, providing them to women farmers at a discount of 40% of the price, and training them to plant and care for them. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Global Initiatives is contributing more than AED 1.8 million to the UN Women's Women's Empowerment Project for Women in Agricultural Communities.

The project includes studies on food availability, eating habits and family feeding practices, specifically infant and child feeding, training courses on the preparation of nutritious recipes, as well as improving the skills of women, farmers and rural women in marketing agricultural products supported by the program.