Sep 24, 2024

USDA allocates $466.5 million to enhance global food security

USDA announced it will invest $466.5 million in international food assistance and agricultural development projects.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack shared details of the investment during the Clinton Global Initiative 2024 annual meeting.

Of the total funding, $248 million will support the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program, which aims to provide essential school meals and improve literacy, particularly for girls, in nine countries.

Meanwhile, $218.5 million will go to the Food for Progress program, which focuses on strengthening agricultural systems in seven nations, promoting climate-smart technologies, and expanding international trade.

Under these programs, USDA purchases U.S.-grown commodities to support implementing organizations, including the United Nations World Food Program. For instance, the McGovern-Dole program will allocate $24 million for local and regional procurement of commodities to enhance school feeding initiatives.

“The McGovern-Dole and Food for Progress programs are the embodiment of USDA’s multi-faceted approach to combating hunger and poverty,” Vilsack said. “By partnering with both private and public sectors, we’re not only providing direct food assistance but also fostering sustainable agricultural productivity growth and promoting climate-smart agriculture.”

This year, the McGovern-Dole program aims to provide over 37,000 metric tons of U.S. commodities to projects in Angola, Bangladesh, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Laos, Malawi, and Rwanda, benefiting approximately 1.2 million children.

The Food for Progress projects will utilize 315,000 metric tons of U.S. commodities, aiming to aid nearly 200,000 farmers in countries such as Benin, Cambodia, and Madagascar, focusing on food security and trade facilitation.