USDA and USAID Launch $1 Billion Program for Global Food Assistance – FEAST Magazine

In an important step to provide emergency food assistance worldwide, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announced the allocation of $1 billion from the Commodity Credit Corporation to purchase U.S.-sourced commodities renovated. .

The announcement came from Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and USAID Administrator Samantha Power, who stated: “America’s farmers are the most productive and efficient in the world, and we rely on them to provide safe and nutritious food not only to our nation , but also to the whole world. global community.”

Secretary Vilsack further emphasized the urgent need for food assistance worldwide, noting that there are “millions of people worldwide in urgent need of food assistance” and asserting that the U.S. agricultural sector is “well positioned to provide life-saving food assistance.”

He added: “The United States produces more resources than it consumes, and therefore has an opportunity to partner with USAID and extend this food to those in our global community who are struggling.”

According to the USDA, an initial allocation of approximately $950 million will support the purchase, transportation and distribution of a variety of U.S. commodities, including wheat, rice, sorghum, lentils, chickpeas, dry peas, vegetable oil, cornmeal, white beans, pinto beans and kidney beans.

USAID will assume the role of determining the most appropriate destinations for these commodities, with the aim of implementing the program without disrupting local markets. Following this, the USDA will continue to purchase the raw materials, which will then be transferred to USAID for distribution.

“In this time of staggering global hunger, America is reaching out to hungry communities around the world – and American farmers are crucial to that effort. USAID is honored to partner with USDA to purchase, ship and distribute our surplus food supplies to people in urgent need around the world,” Administrator Power explained.

In addition, a separate pilot project, worth up to $50 million, will be established to explore the use of U.S. commodities that are not typically included in international food assistance but are sustainable and suitable for feeding food-insecure populations are confronted.

USAID is currently working with humanitarian organizations to develop this pilot project, which will be exclusive to this funding and will not impact other food assistance programs administered by USAID.

Eighteen countries will benefit from the first phase of support, including Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Haiti, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania , Uganda and Yemen.

The Global Report on Food Crises and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations have identified approximately 205 million people worldwide in urgent need of food assistance, while an estimated 768 million suffer from chronic hunger.

The USDA emphasized that the supplies in this initiative are intended to provide emergency assistance to those in critical need. This program is part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s broader strategy to address global food insecurity, provide additional assistance to the 18 designated countries, and increase flexibility to respond to emerging crises.