adminyesterday in his first speech on food security, before travelling to the Group of Eight summit at Camp David, Maryland.
“As the wealthiest nation on earth, I believe the US has a moral obligation to lead the fight against hunger and nutrition and to partner with others” to end poverty,
President Obama said at a symposium in Washington. In the audience were U2 singer Bono and several African heads of state.
World food supplies are being stressed by rising demand in emerging markets and increased use of crops in biofuels, leading to higher and more volatile prices, according to a US intelligence report released last week. Import-dependent countries such as Egypt, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sudan are especially vulnerable to food unrest, the report said. Competition for water will fuel instability in South Asia and the Middle East, the US said in March.
Food supplies gained global attention after a run-up in corn, wheat and soybean prices in 2007 and 2008 prompted riots in more than 60 nations, according to the US State Department. The G8 summit in Italy in 2009 led to a pledge for US$22 billion in agricultural development assistance to boost food production in poorer countries.
The US promised US$3,5 billion and the next year unveiled a “Feed the Future” plan that focuses on farm development in poorer nations and generating additional investments from other donors. The new initiative is requesting an additional US$1,2 billion over the next three years from existing and new donors.
Increased production will lift Africans out of poverty and stabilise economies, President Obama said, referring to his own relatives in Kenya and the hunger experienced in the region’s villages.
“Fifty years ago, Africa was an exporter of food,” President Obama said. “There is no reason why Africa should not be feeding itself and exporting food again.”
The new pledges further involve the private sector in alleviating hunger and spurring development in poorer countries, said Rajiv Shah, head of the US Agency for International Development.
“You cannot have stability and security as long as regions and countries and communities are deeply food-insecure,” Shah said.
Companies have expertise and market skills governments can’t match, which are crucial to apply in Africa as the continent attracts new investment, he said. — Bloomberg.
Online Reporter