By Blessing Chinagorom
Globally, the United States remains the largest supplier of food assistance to people in need around the world, reaching tens of millions of people in 32 countries last year alone.
This was disclosed in a statement released by US Agency for International Development USAID Ag Spokesperson, Shejal Pulivarti on Wednesday to mark 70 years of the Agency’s Food for Peace Program, a cornerstone of USAID’s life-saving food assistance work around the world.
According to the Agency, “Last fiscal year, USAID purchased 1.1 million metric tons of food from U.S. farmers, ranchers including sorghum, corn, beans, rice, and vegetable oil – to help more than 45 million people with emergency food and acute nutrition assistance in 35 countries.
“Over the past decade, these commodities have come from American farmers in more than 21 U.S. states on average, with average of 46 U.S. commodity supplier businesses involved in aggregating the food for procurement”, the Agency added.
It noted that emergency food assistance is expression of the compassion and goodwill of the people of the United States, saying at a time of unprecedented humanitarian needs, the Food for Peace Program, with bipartisan support from Congress, has helped the U.S. respond to global crises.
The Agency explained that this program is the hallmark of U.S. workers, farmers, grain elevator operators, truckers, bargemen, freight forwarders, and port operations, all of whom have helped make it possible to reach the world’s most vulnerable.
“In addition to responding to families undergoing crises around the world, Food for Peace also supports critical non-emergency work, including addressing the root causes of hunger in developing countries, often through market-based solutions, to help reduce the need for assistance in the long-term”.
It revealed that for seven decades, Food for Peace programs have been a source of pride for many Americans, and the Americans appreciated Congressional efforts to ensure that the program continues to most effectively help those in need.
“As Congress considers the reauthorization of the Farm Bill this year, USAID remains grateful for our collaboration and committed to ensuring the program maximizes every American taxpayer’s dollar and continues to reach as many people as possible”, the Agency concluded.
