The funding will support school meal programs, boost literacy, and promote sustainable agricultural practices in developing nations, impacting millions of children and farmers worldwide.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is set to allocate $466.5 million to bolster global food security, a key initiative announced by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack during the Clinton Global Initiative 2024 annual meeting.
These funds will be directed towards two of the USDA’s primary international development programs, with the aim of addressing hunger and promoting sustainable agriculture across several developing nations.
A significant portion of the funding, $248 million, is earmarked for the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program in fiscal year 2024.
This program is designed to enhance primary education and literacy through school meal projects, with a focus on supporting girls’ education. The funds will be used in nine countries, Angola, Bangladesh, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Laos, Malawi, and Rwanda, benefitting an estimated 1.2 million children and their families across more than 2,800 pre-primary and primary schools.
In parallel, $218.5 million will be directed towards the Food for Progress program, which aims to improve agricultural systems in seven countries: Benin, Cambodia, Madagascar, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, and Tunisia. This initiative will assist approximately 200,000 farmers by promoting climate-smart agricultural practices, improving food security, and facilitating access to international trade markets.
As highlighted by Vilsack, “The McGovern-Dole and Food for Progress programs are the embodiment of USDA’s multi-faceted approach to combatting hunger and poverty and addressing the effects of the climate crisis worldwide.”
He emphasized that these programs work closely with both private and public-sector partners to foster sustainable agricultural growth, promote climate resilience, and boost food security by enhancing trade capabilities in developing countries.
Both programs operate by purchasing U.S.-grown commodities, which are then distributed to partner organizations, such as the United Nations World Food Program.
These implementing organizations either use the commodities directly in school feeding programs or sell them locally to fund various development projects. In the case of the McGovern-Dole program, $24 million of the $248 million allocated this year will be specifically dedicated to local and regional procurement of food commodities, an initiative aligned with provisions set out in the 2018 Farm Bill.
The USDA’s efforts through these programs are not solely focused on providing immediate food assistance; they also aim to establish long-term solutions for food insecurity by promoting sustainable agricultural practices. The McGovern-Dole program is recognized as one of the largest contributors to global school feeding programs, providing more than 37,000 metric tons of U.S. commodities this year alone to support these efforts.
The Food for Progress initiative will utilize 315,000 metric tons of U.S. commodities to support projects in the seven target countries. These projects will focus on key areas such as adopting climate-smart technologies, improving food security standards, enhancing sanitary and phytosanitary regulations, and increasing access to capital for local farmers. By helping farmers adopt sustainable practices and improving trade opportunities, the program is expected to have a lasting impact on agricultural productivity and market access in these regions.
According to the press release, further details on the specific funding allocations for both programs in fiscal year 2024 will be made public once all contracts are finalized. Those interested in more information about these programs and USDA’s broader international food assistance efforts can visit the USDA’s official website.
