MANILA, Philippines — The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has granted $34.1 million to fund a five-year initiative aimed at strengthening the Philippine purple yam, or ube, value chain and benefiting roughly 12,500 local farmers.
U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Lipton formally announced the funding initiative, which is channeled through the USDA’s Food for Progress Program. The funding is generated by the commercial sale of nearly 40,000 metric tons of U.S. soybean meal.
International development organization TechnoServe will spearhead the implementation of the project over the next five years. The initiative intends to fortify the crop’s supply chain to support the agricultural producers involved while catering to the growing global demand for ube as an ingredient among food and beverage manufacturers in the United States and other international markets.
Ambassador Lipton emphasized the strategic significance of the agricultural venture, noting its role in fostering deeper ties between the two nations as they mark eight decades of formal diplomatic relations.
“I am pleased to announce that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded $34.1 million for a project in the Philippines through the Food for Progress Program to support the development of the Ube (Purple Yam) value chain, an important raw material for innovative food and beverage manufacturers around the world, including the United States,” Lipton stated.
“The project will be implemented by TechnoServe and is expected to support approximately 12,500 Filipino ube farmers over the next five years,” he added, noting that “This effort is funded through the sale of nearly 40,000 metric tons of U.S. soybean meal.”
“Congratulations to the Philippines! This award will further strengthen the U.S.–Philippines diplomatic and economic partnership, which is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year,” Lipton concluded.