USAID Announces $5 Billion Commitment to Feed the Future Initiative

The United States government has reasserted its commitment to ending global hunger, poverty, and malnutrition through a series of announcements at the United Nations Food Systems Summit. Administrator Samantha Power announced that the US plans to invest $5 billion over five years in Feed the Future, the global hunger and food security initiative. This commitment aims to contribute to a 20 percent reduction in poverty and child stunting in areas where Feed the Future works and mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic's impact. The enhanced Global Food Security Strategy guides Feed the Future and addresses the complex demands on global food security, including climate change, increasing conflict, and rising inequality.

Key Takeaways:

• The US plans to commit $5 billion over five years to Feed the Future, the global hunger and food security initiative.
• The Feed the Future global announcement includes several planned commitments to combat global hunger and malnutrition, including a joint collaboration with the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and the Eleanor Crook Foundation (ECF) to mobilize $100 million of financing over five years to tackle the root causes of malnutrition.
• USAID is partnering with the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition and Incofin Investment Management to establish the Nutritious Foods Financing Facility (N3F), a first-of-its-kind investment fund that will bolster critical small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and promote well-nourished communities in Sub-Saharan Africa.
• The N3F aims to directly impact diet quality, advance equity by prioritizing women-owned SMEs, promote food safety, and reduce the environmental impact of the food supply chain.
• USAID is investing $60 million over five years in new research awards to reduce food loss and waste, including a $25 million award to Tufts University to lead the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Systems for Nutrition.
• The U.S. will join the global coalition on food loss and waste, "Food Is Never Waste," and USAID will join the Friends of 12.3 Champions, a multi-sectoral coalition of leaders committed to accelerating progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 12.3.
• The US will invest $38 million over five years to expand large-scale food fortification to deliver essential vitamins and minerals to populations who need them the most.
• USAID will launch a new large-scale food fortification partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and UNICEF to address widespread malnutrition in low- and middle-income countries.
• The launch of the Gender Responsive Agricultural Systems Policy (GRASP), a new USAID-funded three and a half year virtual fellowship program for female policymakers in Africa to catalyze policy change by women for women that promotes gender equality and women's empowerment in food systems.

Statistics:

• $5 billion over five years to Feed the Future, the global hunger and food security initiative.
• $100 million of financing over five years to tackle the root causes of malnutrition through a joint collaboration with the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and the Eleanor Crook Foundation (ECF).
• $60 million over five years in new research awards to reduce food loss and waste.
• $38 million over five years to expand large-scale food fortification to deliver essential vitamins and minerals to populations who need them the most.
• Up to 100 female policy makers in Africa supported through the Gender Responsive Agricultural Systems Policy (GRASP) Fellowship.

Sources:

• USAID
• United Nations Food Systems Summit
• U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC)
• Eleanor Crook Foundation (ECF)
• Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition
• Incofin Investment Management
• Tufts University
• Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
• UNICEF
• "Food Is Never Waste" coalition
• Friends of 12.3 Champions