PRESS RELEASE
CONTACT
Carrie McCloud
Communications Technical Manager
ACDI/VOCA
T: +1 202 469 6054
cmccloud@acdivoca.org
WASHINGTON, D.C., October 23, 2017 — ACDI/VOCA is pleased to announce our new partnership with USAID under the Feed the Future-funded Kenya Livestock Market Systems (LMS) activity, a Leader with Associates award, to strengthen people’s resilience to climate shocks and reduce poverty, hunger, and chronic undernutrition. The LMS activity will build local capacity and transform the livestock sector by catalyzing economic growth among pastoralist communities in northern Kenya. As part of Feed the Future, the United States Government’s global hunger and food security initiative, this activity will build a more inclusive and competitive livestock value chain in the Feed the Future zone of Kenya’s arid lands. The activity, budgeted at up to $45 million over a five-year period, will strengthen institutions, systems, and governance.
“As a leader in the value chain approach to international development, we look forward to offering our expertise in market systems and resilience to the Kenya Feed the Future Livestock Market Systems activity. Since July 30, 2012 we have worked to improve the livestock value chain and market linkages in Kenya’s arid lands. This activity builds on these efforts to not only improve the livelihoods of pastoralist communities, but also improve their capacity and independence in the face of extreme climate challenges.”
— Paul Guenette, Chief Communications Officer
ACDI/VOCA will establish an effective management platform that maximizes the capacity of local actors and economic growth in the livestock sector. Its Leader project will conduct joint strategizing and work planning for sequenced, layered, and integrated action across projects and with other key actors. ACDI/VOCA will also facilitate resource-sharing and exchanges among counties and implementing partners.
Through collaboration with Mercy Corps, BOMA Project, and Smart Regional Consultants, we will facilitate the activity’s Expanding and Diversifying Viable Economic Opportunities in Northern Kenya project and Strengthening Community Capacities for Resilience and Economic Growth project. These two projects will create diversified livelihoods for pastoralists moving up or out of the sector and support natural resource management, peacebuilding, and nutrition and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) practices.
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ABOUT ACDI/VOCA
Founded in 1963, ACDI/VOCA is an international development nonprofit organization. We have fostered broad-based economic growth in 146 countries. We empower people to succeed in the global economy by building inclusive, resilient market systems. We are the nonprofit that means business. Learn more at www.acdivoca.org.
