WILLIAM VERZANI

U.S. Embassy Agricultural Attache Foreign Agricultural Service U.S. Department of Agriculture

A native of Omaha, Nebraska, Mr. Verzani earned his B.A. degree in Spanish at the University of Nebraska and his M.A. degree in International Political Economy and Development at Fordham University. He served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Honduras (1998-2001) and participated in the Japanese Exchange and Teaching program in Tottori Prefecture, Japan (2002-2005). Mr. Verzani arrived in the Philippines in June 2011 and has worked for FAS since 2007. Prior to this assignment, he was a commodity analyst for the FAS Office of Global Analysis and as a development analyst for the USDA Food for Progress program in Washington.

USDA Capacity Building Programs in the Philippines

Bill Verzani, Agricultural Attach U.S. Embassy Manila

USDA Foreign Agricultural Service

Mission: Maximize Exports of U.S. Food and Agricultural Products and Enhance Food Security (food ingredients to finished products) How: Eliminate Trade Barriers Identify Opportunities for Producers & Traders Partner and Promote Capacity Building

Results: The U.S. is the Philippines number one export market and the number one supplier of food and agricultural products (two-way trade totaled over US$3.7 billion in 2011).

USDA Capacity Building Programs in the Philippines

Food for Progress Program - $70 million since 1995 (grant-agricultural sector development) Section 416B - $42.3 million since 1995 (grant-feeding) P.L. 480 Title I - $200 million since 1995 (i.e., biotechnology, Agricultural Fulbright Program, livestock development, etc.)- concessional loans to GRP Cochran Fellowship Programs U.S. based short term training open to public and private sector USDA Norman E. Borlaug International Agricultural Science & Technology Fellowship Program - U.S. based three month research and training for researchers and policymakers Technical Seminars by U.S. Cooperators (feed seminar by ASA, food safety and hygiene seminar by USAPEEC)

USDA Food for Progress (FFPr) Basics

Developing countries committed to expanding free enterprise in the agricultural sector
Competitive process and priority country list

Commodities monetized and proceeds used to support development activities

Principle objectives are to improve agricultural productivity and expand trade Total USDA FFPr funding in 2012 reached $200 million (globally)

USDA FFPr Projects in the Philippines since FY 2009

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Farmer Alliances for Resource Strengthening and Marketing (FARM) Project
2006/09 FFPr recipient In FY 2011, FAS provided a three-year FFPr grant of $7M to CRS for their FARM project in Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat, Misamis Oriental, Davao del Sur, Maguindanao, North Cotabato and Bukidnon. Focused on expanding public-private partnerships in agribusiness, microfinance, training and information technology. CRS collaborates with the Philippine DA to improve the livelihood of 32,000 smallholder and landless farmers.

Land O Lakes (LOL) & the National Dairy Authority Dairy Development Initiative
LOL has been funded under both FFPr (FY 2006 and FY 2009) and 416B (FY 2002 and FY 2005) funding sources. Key player in developing the Philippine dairy industry and strengthening the market for dairy products through school milk feeding programs. Administers distribution of donated dairy animals and milk processing plants Trains local farmers in dairy production, cooperative management and business development Created dairy processing zones in Camarines Sur, Pangasinan, Negros Oriental, Lanao del Norte, Zamboanga del Norte , Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental, Davao del Norte, North Cotabato and Sarangani

ACDI/VOCA
SUCCESS Alliance & COCOPAL
SUCCESS Alliance: FFP grant provided in FY06 to improve cacao production practices, marketing, build post-harvest facilities, and introduce international cacao bean quality standards COCOPAL (Cocoa-Coconut-Palayaman) 3-year integrated farming project funded through a FY09 USDA FFPr grant of $5.8 million. Approximately 25,000 farmer beneficiaries in Western Mindanao and the Davao region. Outcomes: Expanded agricultural productivity and incomes.

DA Bureau of Plant Industry FFPr Mango Project

FY2005 USDA FFPr grant valued at $2 million USD
To establish a commercially viable national irradiation protocol in order to export mangoes from all Philippine regions to the United States mainland.

Government of Philippines
USDA FFPr FY2010 - Response to Typhoon Ondoy

Designed as a feeding program in response to Typhoon Ondoy victims in Luzon.

A total of 81,799 children in 13 Luzon school districts were provided tetra packed milk rations for 59 days.

FY 2013 Priority Countries

Bangladesh Mongolia

Burkina Faso
Haiti and Dominican Republic

Mozambique
Philippines

Kenya
Liberia

Timor Leste
Tanzania

Thank You!
http://www.fas.usda.gov/internatldevelopment.asp