22 July 2010, By Phillip Kurata, USMission.gov

Washington — The U.S. government, backed by U.S. scientists and corporations, is investing money and energy into reducing global hunger and poverty on a huge scale by 2015.

A State Department official overseeing the Feed the Future program, Patricia Haslach, told a congressional subcommittee July 20 that President Obama’s pledge of $3.5 billion at the G8 summit in L’Aquila, Italy, for agricultural development and food security through 2012 has attracted an additional $18.5 billion pledged by other donors. Haslach said the U.S. government is holding them accountable for their commitments.

 

OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina-Faso, July 22, 2010/African Press Organization (APO)/ —

 

“We should all commit ourselves to mobilising the resources that are required in order for us to implement the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP). We need to look very carefully at how we can increase national budgetary and private sector support for our farmers”, said Dr. Laurent Sedogo, Minister of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries for Burkina Faso at the start of the second annual CAADP Day.

 

Global Fund Enlists Support of Civil Society and Producer Organizations to Advance Country-led Agriculture and Food Security Programs

Money from U.S. and other donors helps to reinforce country strategies that
raise agricultural productivity and incomes

WASHINGTON, July 15, 2010 -- Three months after international donors set up a new funding mechanism to support low-income countries as they scale-up support for agriculture and food security, almost $225 million for those countries has been approved for distribution and is on its way for implementation.  The grants will benefit an estimated two million people in rural areas as each country works to increase food security, raise rural incomes, and reduce poverty.

 

In the coming year, the Hewlett Foundation will integrate its two programs working in the developing world, Global Development and Population. Both are dedicated to improving the lives of the world's most vulnerable people, especially women and girls, through better economic opportunities, more accountable governance, access to quality education, and improved reproductive health and rights. The Foundation is extremely proud of the great work of these programs and believes that an integrated Global Development and Population Program will be well positioned to achieve these shared goals.

 

One would imagine that a national investment that pays dividends in the forms of greater national security, economic growth, and revitalized American values would be a wise investment in the future of our country. Yet the International Affairs budget -- which funds America's vital development and diplomacy programs -- is burdened with a disproportionate share of the budget cuts now being made by Congress.