DOGE cuts $51M in grants promoting shea butter, pineapple juice and more
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) recently announced significant cuts totaling $51 million from the U.S. African Development Foundation. These cuts included funding for various initiatives such as marketing shea butter, pineapple juice, and mango drying facilities. DOGE highlighted the allocation of funds for specific projects, including $229,296 for marketing organic shea butter in Burkina Faso, $246,217 for mango drying facilities in the Ivory Coast, and $239,738 for marketing pineapple juice in Benin.
Additionally, DOGE disclosed that $99,566 was utilized to boost yogurt production in Uganda, $84,059 was allocated for a business incubator supporting spa and wellness entrepreneurs in Nigeria, $50,000 was invested in training farmers on growing dragon fruit in Senegal, and $48,406 was spent on implementing a WhatsApp marketing chatbot in Kenya.
DOGE, spearheaded by Elon Musk, operates as a temporary organization within the White House, established earlier this year via executive order by President Donald Trump. The agency’s mandate involves enhancing government operations, reducing spending, and optimizing efficiency within an 18-month timeframe.
In a recent update, DOGE revealed the termination of 113 contracts valued at $4.7 billion, including the discontinuation of a $145,000 consulting contract with the U.S. Department of Agriculture for climate change activities in Peru.
Furthermore, DOGE eliminated several questionable grants, including nearly $1 million for alpaca farming in Peru and funding for programs focused on gender equity in Mexico, worker empowerment in South America, and workers’ rights improvement in Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador.
The department has also scrapped several diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, consulting contracts, federal building leases, as well as redundant agencies and programs to streamline government operations and reduce wasteful spending.
DOGE claims to have saved Americans a total of $140 billion, equivalent to approximately $870 per taxpayer. As the agency continues to implement cost-cutting measures, it aims to enhance government efficiency and deliver tangible benefits to the American public.
For more information and updates on government efficiency initiatives, visit the official DOGE website.
