On April 20, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed the Global Food Security Act (S. 1252), legislation which aims to reduce global hunger and malnutrition through the promotion of global food security, self-sufficiency and nutrition.

Introduced by Senators Johnny Isakson (R-GA) and Bob Casey (D-PA), the bill would achieve these objectives by increasing investments in poor farmers, especially women, in order to improve long-term agricultural growth.

This win comes just days after the House passed its version of the bill, with strong bipartisan support.

“The Senate made important progress toward eliminating inefficiencies in food aid that waste scarce resources and prevent us from feeding millions more people in need around the world more quickly,” said Senator Bob Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in a recent statement.

Feed the Future

The Global Food Security Act builds on the success of USAID’s Feed the Future Initiative, another program intended to reduce global hunger by building more productive and resistant agricultural systems in developing countries.

For the 2014 fiscal year, USAID reported a near-40 percent increase in the value of sales attributed to Feed the Future, as well as sizeable reductions in poverty and childhood stunting.

Improving Global Food Security

The Global Food Security Act is projected to improve nutrition for 12 million malnourished children and help 7 million poor farmers increase their income. It will require future presidents to coordinate a “whole-of-government” strategy for improving global food security and consult regularly with Congress on how to implement it.

Despite significant efforts to reduce global poverty and hunger in recent years, food insecurity remains a prevalent problem. The United Nations estimates that more than 800 million people worldwide suffer from chronic hunger and malnutrition, which “rob people of health and productive lives and stunt the mental and physical development of future generations.”

Impact on U.S. National Security

The bill text also cites a 2014 U.S. intelligence assessment that calls food insecurity a threat to American national security, especially in countries where insurgent groups can easily “capitalize on poor conditions, exploit international food aid, and discredit governments for their inability to address basic needs.”

The Global Food Security Act was widely supported by poverty-reduction organizations, including the Borgen Project.

“The Borgen Project applauds both chambers for passing the Global Food Security Act,” said Kim Thelwell, Manager at The Borgen Project. “The Global Food Security Act will go a long way in providing smallholder farmers with the resources they need to improve productivity, overcome food insecurity and build resilient local communities.”

The Borgen Project worked on the previous version of the Global Food Security Act. Over the past year, The Borgen Project held 136 meetings with members of Congress and mobilized thousands of people to contact their Congressional leaders in support of the Global Food Security Act. The Borgen Project’s advocacy campaign resulted in 94% of U.S. Senators being contacted by Borgen Project volunteers in their state.

– Matthew Housiaux

Photo:  Flickr