Strengthening a NATO Ally through Agriculture
Montenegro
When the COVID-19 pandemic limited travel to, from, and within Montenegro, the Western Balkan country experienced a drop in tourism and faced a food production crisis.
The US Embassy in Montenegro reached out to Spirit of America to help empower rural communities by providing agricultural seeds and tools to farming families.
Spirit of America provided $20,000 worth of agricultural assistance, kicking off the Montenegro Seed Project 2020. Nearly 70 families received:
6,000 kg
potato slips
1,400 kg
grains
74,000+
Vegetable seeds
US Ambassador Reinke said that the Montenegro Seed Project is a tangible way to strengthen the country’s relationship with the United States. “This is what the US-Montenegrin partnership looks like,” she said.
The Montenegrin Seed Project increased local support for the United States, and directly benefited the community. Over 6,500 pounds of food was donated to public kitchens, children with special needs, and neighbors.
Spirit of America’s support led to broader investment by the US government. Because of the project’s success, the US Embassy allocated $130,000 to two local organizations to take the project to scale.
