USAID Food Security Program in Review

Newswise — October 13, 2016—More than six years after USAID’s Feed the Future programs began, millions of farmers have been reached and significant contributions to food security achieved across the 19 focus countries and beyond. Yet continuing, accelerated gains will be required to meet the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal commitment to end hunger.

The “Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals: A Food Secure 2030” symposium at the Resilience Emerging from Scarcity and Abundance ASA, CSSA, SSSA International Annual Meeting in Phoenix, AZ, will address this important topic. The symposium will be held Monday, November 7, 2016 at 1:30PM-3:30PM. The meeting is sponsored by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and the Soil Science Society of America.

“The Feed the Future program is a great example of teaching people how to fish, rather than just giving them fish. There’s a long term impact of such an initiative,” says moderator Darin Lickfeldt.

Presenters include Robert Bertram, chief scientist at USAID’s Bureau of Food Security. “When global food prices soared in 2007-2008, it triggered unrest and instability around the globe. USAID addresses the root causes of food insecurity,” Bertram says.

Key aspects include a focus on investments prioritized by our partner countries, an emphasis on gender and the role of women in all aspects of food and agriculture, strong engagement of the private sector, and the importance of science and technology.

For more information about the Resilience Emerging from Scarcity and Abundance 2016 meeting, visit https://www.acsmeetings.org/. Media are invited to attend the conference. Pre-registration by Oct. 26, 2016 is required. Visit https://www.acsmeetings.org/media for registration information. For information about the “Soils and Landscapes of the Southwestern United States” symposium, visit https://scisoc.confex.com/scisoc/2016am/webprogram/Session15446.html.

To speak with one of the scientists, contact Susan V. Fisk, 608-273-8091, [email protected] to arrange an interview.