NSAC Receives $3 million Funding for Development Work in Ethiopia

Sunday, Feb. 24 was a banner day for NSAC and its International faculty. It was announced that $3 million will be allotted for the group to significantly expand and continue their development work in Ethiopia.

(left to right) Mr. Gunn, The Honourable Minister MacKay, Dr. MacLaren and Dr. Astatkie take questions from the press.

The announcement was attended by the Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence and Minister for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, NSAC Co-President Dr. Leslie MacLaren, Mr. Bill Gunn, New Brunswick’s CIDA director, NSAC’s Dr. Tessema Astatkie and other esteemed guests.

 Minister MacKay, on behalf of the Honourable Beverley J. Oda, Minister of International Co-operation, announced funding for The Post-Harvest Management to Improve Livelihoods Project (PHMIL) which NSAC will manage.

 “The people of Nova Scotia should be immensely proud of the contribution overseas by the students and teachers in our community,” said Minister MacKay. “Their dedication to the well-being of those less fortunate exhibits the best of what it means to be Canadian.”

 The funds will go specifically to help Ethiopian farmers, and the agriculture and agri-food industries, increase the quality and availability of local agricultural products, as well as commercialize agriculture in Ethiopia.

 Through this project, NSAC will increase the capacity of Ethiopian agricultural teaching institutions directly, and then they will transfer the technology to the rural areas. Of the project, Dr. MacLaren says, “We [NSAC] are a leader in the field of the life-sciences and work diligently to bolster research intensity. This large pool of expertise in agriculture and the environment allows us to contribute to fulfilling Canada’s development mandate.” 

	“In Ethiopia there is as much as a 60 per cent loss in vegetables and fruits after harvest,” said Dr. Tessema Astatkie, Professor of Statistics and Director of the project. “If we can reduce the loss between harvest and consumption by 50 per cent, it will mean more food on the table and more money for the farmers, as well as helping to reduce poverty.”
Dr. Tessema Astatkie speaks about the need for the PHMIL Project

The PHMIL project is funded by the University Partnerships in Co-operation and Development Program (UPCD) of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). Under that Program, Canadian universities work with organizations in developing countries to increase their ability to meet local human resource and development needs.

More information from NSAC International can be found here.

For the PHMIL project poster click here.