New Foreign Policy Initiative to Tackle Food Security Taking Shape
As one of its first signature foreign policy initiatives, the Obama Administration is taking steps to combat the worldwide food crisis by providing more resources within the International Affairs Budget for innovative agricultural development technology. In his FY 2010 budget request, President Obama sought to double global agricultural assistance from the United States, and last month, world leaders at the G-8 Summit pledged $20 billion to address global hunger over the next three years.
New Approach to Issue
While the United States has always played a significant role in combating world hunger, the global economic downturn, higher energy prices, and other factors leading up to this current crisis are causing policymakers to look at new approaches to addressing worldwide demand for food. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack talked about this significant new focus and change while in Kenya earlier this month saying, “We cannot rely on simply providing food. We must help Africa produce enough food to feed its people and create economic opportunities for this continent.”
The Administration is tackling this issue with an emphasis on technology, innovative solutions and global partnerships. The U.S. will work with small farmers to boost production and improve opportunities to harvest, store and sell their goods. The hope is this approach will create greater availability of food, better accessibility to markets through improved infrastructure and transportation, and allow for greater utilization of food with better storage and cooking techniques.
So Who’s In Charge?
This new effort is being coordinated by a high-powered interagency team.
- Leading the charge from the State Department is Secretary Clinton’s Chief of Staff Cheryl Mills.
- Joining her from the Agriculture Department are Under Secretary of Research, Education, and Economics Raj Shah, Deputy Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services Bud Philbrooke, and Administrator of the Foreign Agricultural Service Mike Michener. The Foreign Agriculture Service is actually implementing this new framework in its work in Afghanistan now.
- At USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator of the Africa Bureau Franklin Moore is working on this issue.
- Michael Froman and Gayle Smith are coordinating efforts from the National Security Council at the White House.
This high level of participation and collaboration demonstrates the emphasis the Administration is putting toward food security.
In addition, the Administration is reaching out to a broad range of stakeholders and hosting meetings with business, foundation and NGO leaders to gain their input and suggestions.
Capitol Hill Weighs In
Congress has also been looking carefully at the issue of food security. The Administration was disappointed when the House of Representatives cut nearly $500 million from its food security budget request and the Senate cut $160 million. It is unclear where the final funding will end up.
While the funding issues are complex, several related bills have been introduced, including The Global Food Security Act ( S.384) by Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Richard Lugar (R-IN) and its companion, H.R. 3077, by Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN); and the Roadmap to End Global Hunger (H.R. 2817) by Representatives Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO), to approach the issue by taking into account the many elements necessary for long-term food security and calling for strategies to achieve sustainable food security in the short-, medium- and long-term.
