Kerry Group announced today (28 April) that it has collaborated with the World Food Programme (WFP) to fund a 3-year programme which will focus on the nutritional enhancement of school meals for children in Honduras through the inclusion of sustainably produced dairy products.
It outlined its plans to contribute US$750,000 plus technical support to the ‘Project Leche’ programme with the support of WFP the food assistance branch of the United Nations.
Working directly with local communities and key national stakeholders, 'the project aims to support smallholder farmers in the production of safe and sustainable dairy products that can be used locally to optimise the nutritional content of school meals'.
Commenting on the announcement, Stan McCarthy, Kerry Group Chief Executive said: “Kerry’s origins as a dairy cooperative and our direct link to our farming heritage has instilled a strong belief in supporting communities. Our knowledge and skills in dairy processing have long since been complemented by our unique technological capabilities and nutritional expertise that make us the global leader in Taste & Nutrition.
"When these strengths are coupled with our ability to develop tailored solutions that meet specific consumer needs, the potential of our partnership with WFP is clear. We are proud to be the first Irish company to partner with such a trusted organisation and over the next 3 years we look forward to making a real difference to the lives of people in Honduras through Project Leche,” McCarthy dded.
In Honduras, recurrent natural disasters and a susceptibility to the effects of climate change contribute to food insecurity. Weather extremes such as prolonged drought and hurricanes severely affect the ability of subsistence farmers to produce enough food to feed their families.
© 2017 - Checkout Magazine by Donna Ahern
