U.S. Department of Agriculture Food for Progress and RTI support agricultural development project to promote U.S. technologies in Ethiopia. April 02, 2026 The project seeks to increase sunflower yields by leveraging American technology, strengthening local farmer capacity, and improving access to finance. RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. - RTI International, an independent scientific research institute, has been awarded a five-year contract by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to support the Food for Progress Ethiopia project. The project will be funded through the monetization of 58,000 metric tons of U.S. wheat, generously provided by U.S. farmers. Food for Progress is administered by USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service to support agricultural development in target countries while aligning with American foreign policy goals. RTI works with partners to deliver cost-efficient, innovative solutions in the U.S. and around the world and will collaborate with Dimagi, the American Chamber of Commerce - Ethiopia, Corteva Agriscience, John Deere, PepsiCo Foods and Samanu Oil Processing to implement this project. "RTI is proud to partner with USDA to create markets for U.S.-produced commodities and agricultural technology that improve global food security and advance U.S. safety, security and prosperity," said Tracy Mitchell, RTI director of agriculture. "We are honored to extend U.S. agricultural markets to Ethiopia, supporting farmers with Corteva seed and John Deere equipment to boost sunflower production and drive agricultural growth." With rising demand for edible oils, driven by urbanization and shifting consumer preferences, Ethiopia is focused on improving local oilseed production. The new project targets Ethiopia's underdeveloped sunflower sector using a U.S.-led value chain approach that benefits the U.S. and Ethiopia. By increasing U.S. agribusiness sales, the project will increase American prosperity while also advancing pro-U.S. policies and reducing trade barriers for U.S. commodities. About Food for Progress: The USDA Food for Progress Program helps developing countries and emerging democracies modernize and strengthen their agricultural sectors. Food for Progress has two principal objectives: to improve agricultural productivity and to expand trade of agricultural products. For more information, visit www.fas.usda.gov/programs/food-progress. Meet the Experts Media Info RTI International Media Relations: As an independent, scientific research institute with a mission to improve the human condition, RTI International is engaged by clients and partners to conduct evidence-based research and project implementation. RTI International share its work in line with journalistic and scientific standards and maintain a record in RTI's Newsroom.

Technology investments will immediately improve administrative efficiency while supporting future public health initiativesCAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The City of Somerville Health and Human Services Department announced its partnership with Dimagi, a technology partner for public and community health, which will create a comprehensive health data management software to improve public health delivery. As part of this regional initiative, supported in part by the Massachusetts Department of Health, Somerville will implement Dimagi's CommCare—a secure and versatile digital health platform—for use by community health workers (CHWs) and public health nurses (PHNs) in Somerville and the neighboring cities of Arlington and Medford. This implementation will streamline operations by reducing duplicative and inefficient data entry while ensuring secure, up-to-date client consent to safeguard patient privacy. The platform will also empower Somerville to analyze data for informed decision-making, guiding future budget planning, resource allocation, and addressing both chronic and emerging health challenges."Our city has a passionate public health workforce, and our CHWs and PHNs are second-to-none. Unfortunately, we don't currently have the digital tools to help these critical health workers do their jobs to the best of their ability," said Kelley Hiland, deputy director of health and human services, public health for the City of Somerville. "Dimagi's human-centered platform will help make their work faster and more effective, while protecting sensitive health data and allowing our program to grow in the future."Somerville CHWs and PHNs will use CommCare to create standardized registration and intake processes that will be faster and more efficient than current workflows