Royal DSM N.V., The Netherlands, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Washington, D.C., will collaborate and collectively work to meet the nutritional challenges presented in the developing world.

DSM and USAID expect to leverage their respective competencies, expertise, products and services to support collaborative activities focused on meeting the micronutrient needs of populations in the developing world. DSM and USAID executed a Memorandum of Understanding for this collaboration, which was signed at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

The initial focus of the collaboration will be on rice fortification; achievement of the nutrition objectives as part of Feed the Future, the U.S. government’s global hunger and food security initiative, and the United States Global Health Initiative; support of the 1,000 days efforts to help countries jumpstart the Scaling Up Nutrition road map with the support of other development partners. In addition, DSM will provide input to USAID’s Office of Food For Peace to help improve nutritional value, quality, shelf life and methods for testing food aid commodities.

“We are witnessing an unparalleled opportunity right now for innovative, large-scale private sector partnerships to achieve significant impact on global hunger and nutrition. USAID is proud to build this new partnership with DSM, the world’s largest manufacturer of micronutrients and vitamins. Together we can improve childhood nutrition in countries that depend on rice as a staple crop,” says Rajiv Shah, USAID administrator.

Feike Sijbesma, chief executive officer and chairman of the DSM managing board says, “Building on our longstanding and successful collaboration with the United Nation’s World Food Programme (WFP), we look forward to work closely with USAID. Together we can reach even more people to further combat hidden hunger. DSM has been playing an active role in the fight against micronutrient deficiencies for many years, contributing scientific know-how and technical expertise to help improve the nutritional status of people in need. Our innovative solutions range from staple food fortification to tailor-made products for specific target groups. This collaboration with USAID shows our deep commitment to public-private partnerships as a key element in dealing with nutritional challenges in the developing world.”

USAID is an independent U.S. federal government agency. It is the lead international development agency for the United States and receives foreign policy guidance from the Secretary of State. USAID is engaged in development assistance in more than 80 countries worldwide and disburses approximately $14 billion in foreign assistance each year to build human and institutional capacity in developing countries. USAID focuses on finding solutions to the issues of food security and global hunger in the developing world through both country-specific and sector-wide programs.

DSM is the only global company that integrates single vitamins and premixes in ideal formulations for targeting developing-country beneficiaries with innovative solutions such as Nutririce, a fortified rice kernel created from broken rice kernels, and MixMe, a micronutrient powder for home fortification, which has been widely adopted through WFP and other agencies in emergencies worldwide.

DSM maintains a successful partnership with the WFP to improve the nutritional value of products in WFP’s ‘food basket’ and has received numerous awards for its work in finding sustainable solutions to micronutrient deficiency, including awards from the Global Alliance For Improved Nutrition and the 2010 World Business Development Award from the ICC.

Sijbesma received the 2010 Humanitarian of the Year Award from the United Nations Association of New York.

About DSM – the Life Sciences and Materials Sciences Company
Royal DSM N.V. creates solutions that nourish, protect and improve performance. Its end markets include human and animal nutrition and health, personal care, pharmaceuticals, automotive, coatings and paint, electrical and electronics, life protection and housing. DSM manages its business with a focus on the triple bottom line of economic performance, environmental quality and social responsibility, which it pursues simultaneously and in parallel. DSM has annual net sales of about €8 billion and employs some 22,700 people worldwide. The company is headquartered in The Netherlands, with locations on five continents. DSM is listed on Euronext Amsterdam. More information: www.dsm.com

For more information:
Elvira Luykx, DSM corporate communications
+31 (0) 45 5782035
media.relations@dsm.com

Hans Vossen, DSM investor relations
+31 (0) 45 5782864
investor.relations@dsm.com