The Alaska Canned Salmon Global Food Aid Program was created in 2005 by the Alaska salmon fishing industry to foster the use of flavorful, nutritious and easy-to-prepare canned Alaska salmon in world food aid programs.  AGFAP was incorporated into ASMI in 2007 and now functions under the International Marketing Program umbrella.

Canned Salmon is ideal for food aid purposes. It provides concentrated protein and energy for recipients of all ages in all types of food aid projects such as school feeding, disaster relief, food-for-work and maternal/child health projects.

Alaska canned salmon has been a part of a variety of food aid projects targeting schoolchildren, disaster relief, food-for-work and maternal/child health. In 2008, Alaska Salmon is being used by the World Food Program in Laos, Food for the Poor (FFTP) in Jamaica and the Salesian Missions in Cambodia. Past programs and pilot projects have taken place in Bolivia, Guatemala, Guinea Bissau and Swaziland.

A few of the many benefits Alaska Canned Salmon in World Food Aid Programs offer:

• Alaska Canned Salmon is highly nutritious
• It is suitable for people of all ages
• It is therapeutic and good for people living with HIV/AIDS
• It is easy to handle and has a long shelf life

Alaska Canned Salmon is available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture-administered Food for Progress and McGovern-Dole International Food for Education Child Nutrition Programs and the U.S. Agency for International Development-managed PL480 Title II Program.

Upcoming event:

Alaska Canned Salmon and Herring Pilot Project in Uganda

Wild Alaska pink and keta canned salmon are used primarily in food aid.  With the exponential growth in requests for canned salmon, supply can no longer match demand.  To meet this demand, as well as capitalize on an underutilized species, AGFAP and ASMI are working to introduce wild Alaska canned herring to food aid providers.  With comparable levels of proteins and nearly twice the amount of Omega-3s, herring offers an exceptional alternative to keta and pink salmon.  Furthermore, increasing herring utilization would benefit many rural Alaskan communities where the species is abundant.  Currently, 3,000 lbs of Alaska canned herring is en route to an orphanage in Uganda run by World Help as part of pilot project to gather feedback on the practical usage of canned herring in a relief setting. 

Alaska Salmon part of WFP Food for Education in Laos

In 2007, Alaska Canned Salmon became an integral part of the successful Landmine Removal and Food for Education programs of Humpty Dumpty Institute (HDI) and International Relief and Development (IRD) in Laos. Canned salmon is part of a take home ration given to over 20,000 children in primary schools.

Even more Alaska Canned Salmon will ship to Laos in 2008. The World Food Program (WFP) plans to improve the diets of 100,000 children through their Food for Education Program. All three programs, HDI, IRD and WFP, work with the Government of Laos to increase enrollment and retention of children, especially girls, in primary schools. Currently, in Laos only 50% of children complete primary school and 39% of the population lives below the poverty line. As an incentive to keep children in school Alaska Canned Salmon is part of a nutritious mid-morning snack and a monthly take-home ration for students whole attend at least 80% of school days.

Alaska Canned Salmon in Bolivia Schools

Food aid programs in Bolivia are working to reduce child malnutrition, as well as improve household food availability through increased agricultural productivity and incomes along with integrated health, education, water and sanitation programs. As an adjunct to these activities, school meals are getting more nutritious. In 2006, Bolivian children enjoyed Alaska canned salmon in their school lunches through a pilot project.

The Bolivia project is a partnership between the Alaska Global Food Aid Program with the Salesian Missions and their local counterpart the Don Bosco Public Schools in Bolivia. Their 250 schools in Bolivia reach approximately 100,000 students.

The State of Alaska Global Food Aid Program donated two containers of canned salmon, which supplied about 400,000 servings of salmon to this region. The students found the salmon to be delicious in sandwiches and salads prepared with local ingredients.

Alaska Canned Salmon Pilot Project with Food for the Poor in Guatemala

Guatemala has among the lowest health and nutrition indicators in Central America. Development Aid programs aim to improve the lives of the country's people. Food for the Poor has been contributing to this effort in Guatemala for many years and is always looking for ways to diversify and improve the nutrition content of their food baskets.

Alaska canned salmon, a concentrated source of protein and energy for all ages, is an ideal addition to existing food aid commodities and local diets. The Alaska Canned Salmon Global Food Aid Program donated about 200,000 servings of canned salmon to Food for the Poor to try on a pilot basis in Guatemala.

While recipients were a bit skeptical about the new food at first, when it was combined with local foods and spices over 60,000 mothers and children alike were singing the praises of salmon.

Through Food for the Poor, additional recipients of the salmon include: health clinics, dispensaries, hospitals, and senior facilities.

Alaska Canned Salmon in Food Aid Programs in Guinea Bissau

The International Partnership for Human Development (IPHD) has been seeking a viable protein source to improve the diets of the children in their McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program in Guinea-Bissau. The Alaska Canned Salmon Global Food Aid Program (GFAP) partnered with IPHD and the State of Alaska donated and shipped 200,000 servings to allow IPHD to test canned salmon in a pilot project. The protein rich salmon helped to improve the nutritional quality of the meals provided to 38,000 children in primary school and kindergarten.

The introduction of canned salmon in food aid programs in Guinea-Bissau was a success. It complimented the local food basket and integrated easily with the cultural practices of the region.

Students especially enjoyed the salmon mixed with cassava, or sweet potato, in salmon ragout (stew) as well as with rice and in soup. The cooks liked the salmon because it was easy to prepare in the schools, with or without cooking equipment.

Alaska Canned Salmon in Food Aid Programs in Cambodia

Cambodia is one of the poorest countries in the world and has the highest infant, child and maternal mortality rates in Asia. Food and other development aid programs are relied upon to help keep children in school and out of child labor markets. School feeding is of particular importance as the meal served in school can often be the only meal a child eats in a day.

In Cambodia, Alaska canned salmon is an integral and ongoing component of school meals in the Salesian Missions' McGovern-Dole Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program. For the past four years 22,000 children have been enjoying Alaska Canned Salmon almost every day.

In addition, through local counterparts, the Don Bosco Foundation and Cambodia Hope, the program extends beyond school feeding to provide canned salmon to 7,700 low-income child brick-makers, women garment-workers and individuals with HIV/Aids. For many of these people salmon is the only source of animal protein in their diet. Indeed, salmon's unique nutritional properties render it therapeutic for the chronically ill, the undernourished, and those with compromised immune systems.

The Rural Economic Agriculture Program uses Alaska Canned Salmon in Jamaica

In 2007, Food for the Poor introduced Alaska Canned Salmon to participants of its successful Rural Economic Agriculture Program (REAP) in Jamaica. As a part of REAP, farmers receive technical assistance and additional world food aid commodities to supplement their diets while they develop marketing opportunities so that they can sell their agricultural produce in local markets. The food aid baskets REAP provides spare the farmers’ resources while they build productivity and assets that will sustain them once the program ends.

In Jamaica, REAP provides program recipients with a monthly take-home ration of canned salmon, rice and beans. Canned salmon is well accepted and complements the local cuisine. In addition, the Omega-3 fatty acids found in the canned salmon have helped combat the growing trend of high blood pressure and heart disease in the Jamaica’s adult population.

For more information, please contact: Bruce Schactler, Program Director (800) 478-2903