Elon Musk’s DOGE has canceled at least $51 million for mind-boggling initiatives like shea butter marketing, mango drying and yogurt production.
The cost cutting group recently shared the eyebrow-raising expenditures on X.
‘The US African Development Foundation has terminated $51M in grants,’ the post stated.
DOGE’s post also mentioned specific projects that were being funded by the U.S. African Development Foundation (USADF).
The organization was created by Congress in 1980 and is meant to facilitate direct investments into African enterprises and entrepreneurs.
The grants included nearly $230,000 for marketing 100 percent organic shea butter in Burkina Faso, one of the poorest countries in the world.
An $84,000 grant for a business incubator for spa and wellness entrepreneurs in Nigeria and $240,000 grant for marketing pineapple juice in Benin were also canceled.
DOGE reports slashing over $140 billion worth of waste fraud and abuse since the group was stood up on January 20, according to its site.
DOGE leader Elon Musk flashes a ‘Tech Support’ shirt at a Cabinet meeting in February. Musk has said he is using his technical expertise to streamline government functions and cut spending
Members of the Ragussi Women’s Group welcome Shari Berenbach to their shea butter processing facility in Burkina Faso
In addition to the other canceled USADF grants, DOGE also canceled a $246,000 contract for mango drying facilities in the Ivory Coast, the group posted on X.
DOGE also cut a nearly $100,000 award to increase Ugandan yogurt production and almost $50,000 for a WhatsApp marketing chatbot in Kenya.
Another $50,000 project to teach farmers how to grow dragon fruit in Senegal was also slashed.
Earlier this month the group announced it had slashed $25 million for ‘wasteful DEI grants.’
Some of the awards included ‘$265K for Queens College in New York to research ‘why BIPOC teens’ read Japanese comic books’ and ‘$250K to erect ‘LGBTQ+ historical markers’ across Ohio.’
Other contracts were for addressing ‘systematic racism’ in museums, enhancing equitable library programs, and integrating DEI into daily life in the Connecticut State Library.
Despite all the work cancelling contracts and cutting government spending, Musk is expected to step down from DOGE in coming months.
Press Sec. Karoline Leavitt noted last week that Musk was always meant to ‘depart from public service’ after his ‘incredible work at DOGE is complete.’
However, the Tesla CEO has not formally signaled when he will step down.