Washington, DC -- Dr. Rajiv Shah, Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) released the following statement on the occasion of Earth Day, April 22:

“For more than 30 years, this agency has supported projects that promote conservation of species and habitats in ways that reduce poverty and increase incomes. USAID works with local communities, governments and international partners to improve the management of more than 100 million hectares of natural areas annually.

“Biodiversity conservation plays an important role in reducing poverty and threats to the world’s natural resources. The rural poor depend on forests, water, wetlands, fields and pastures for their livelihoods. The survival of about 70 percent of Africa's population is linked to conserving the continent’s biodiversity.

“To save nature all of us need to work together: development agencies, governments, private sector partners, and -- most importantly -- the local communities whose livelihoods are at stake. And not just on Earth Day, but every day”.