With world hunger rates rising, President Biden announced Wednesday at the United Nations an additional $2.9 billion in U.S. humanitarian assistance, including funds to feed schoolchildren and expand food production. We’re “taking on the food crisis head-on,” said Biden in a speech that denounced Russia for invading Ukraine and called for action on global warming.
“It’s Russia’s war that is worsening food insecurity, and only Russia can end it,” said Biden. Acute food insecurity has increased by 40 million people in one year, said the president. “Today I’m announcing another $2.9 billion in U.S. support for lifesaving humanitarian and food security assistance for this year alone.”
The assistance would include $220 million through the McGovern-Dole program for eight new school food programs to reach nearly a million students in Africa and East Asia; $178 million through the USDA’s Food for Progress program to support climate-smart agriculture and address the root causes of migration in Central America; $140 million “to accelerate last-mile delivery of agricultural tools, technologies, and production methods” to boost the income of smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa; and $245 million through the Millennium Challenge Corp. to reduce transport costs and better connect farmers in Malawi with markets.
Also, the United States contributed $150 million to the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program, said the White House. Some $2 billion of the aid announced by Biden would be used by the U.S. Agency for International Development for humanitarian assistance, including food aid, healthcare, and safe drinking water.
“We believe strongly in the need to feed the world. That’s why the United States is the world’s largest supporter of the World Food Program, with more than 40 percent of its budget,” said Biden. “And we’re calling on all countries to refrain from banning food exports or hoarding grain while so many people are suffering.”
The White House transcript of President Biden’s speech is available here.
A White House fact sheet on the humanitarian aid is available here.