NEW YORK.– The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) donated US$2 million to the Batey Relief Alliance (BRA) to improve agricultural training, production and marketing, and planning more profitable crops inside Dominican Republic’s agricultural batey communities. BRA’s international assistance grant falls under the USDA’s Food for Progress Program and will support agricultural and rural development, while helping to address food shortages.

The project will be implemented by Batey Relief Alliance’s Dominican-based field organization BRA Dominicana, in partnerships with various key government entities, including the State Sugar Council, Dominican Agrarian Institute, Monte Plata Office of Senatorial Management and the Department of Agriculture.

“The two-year project will have the capacity to create food security and economic self-sufficiency for 35,000 people living in extreme poverty inside seven batey communities in the province of Monte Plata,” said Ulrick Gaillard, BRA’s CEO. Gaillard also added that more than 7,000 unemployed farmers will be put to work 3,000 acres of fertile land and develop their community infrastructures for long-term agricultural and economic development and growth.

As part of other project benchmarks, BRA will establish an Agricultural Cooperative to teach the participating farmers how to manage and sell more profitable crops, create sustainable business plans, and apply for loans and credits and reach more consumers. “In light of the current global economic crisis affecting millions around the world, especially in poor countries, the USDA grant is timely as it responds directly to the dire economic conditions facing thousands languishing in these vulnerable agricultural batey regions,” concluded Gaillard.

USDA’s Food for Progress Program provides U.S. agricultural commodities to developing countries and emerging democracies committed to introducing and expanding free enterprise in the agricultural sector. Commodities are provided on a donation basis to foreign governments, private voluntary organizations, non-profit organizations, cooperatives or intergovernmental organizations. Projects are chosen based on their agricultural focus, the country's needs, proposal's quality and organization's management, experience and financial and technical capabilities.