Activities and Status of the USAID Agriculture Program
DRC Sponsor: Jim Morrow
Alise Thomas served with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Agriculture Program in Madagascar, Africa as part of their Feed the Future Program with a focus on agricultural development. She will join us to discuss her work activities in the USAID Agriculture Program and the impacts of the recent USAID shutdown.
USAID was the principal U.S. agency for extending development and humanitarian assistance to countries in need, focused on promoting economic growth, global health, democracy, and providing disaster relief. The agency's operations have been halted, with a subset of programs transferred to the State Department following an Executive Department directive. USAID agricultural programs worked to improve global food security, support sustainable agriculture, and boost farmer livelihoods through initiatives like Feed the Future. Programs provided technical assistance, invested in agricultural research and trade, and delivered food assistance to vulnerable populations. A key component was the Farmer-to-Farmer program, which connected U.S. agricultural volunteers with farmers and institutions in developing countries to share expertise and promote market growth. The agency's future remains uncertain, though its previous work helped transform lives by supporting communities, democratic reforms, and economic stability worldwide.
Alise is the daughter of Kevin and Anne Dykstra and sister of fellow Decorah Rotarian Dacia Monson. She was raised in Decorah and received her degrees in Agricultural Economics from Kansas State University and Texas A&M. Alise and her family have been residing in Decorah but are planning a fall relocation to her spouse's home town of Lyon, France.
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