Congressman McGovern's official testimony on global food security programs for the 2012 budget

Washington, DC, April 12, 2011

TESTIMONY OF
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE JAMES P. McGOVERN (MA-03)

SUBOMMITTEE ON STATE, FOREIGN OEPRATIONS AND RELATED PROGRAMS
HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE

FISCAL YEAR 2012 APPROPRIATIONS
GLOBAL HUNGER, FOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITION PROGRAMS
APRIL 13, 2011

Madam Chairwoman, Ranking Member Lowey and Members of the Subcommittee - thank you for allowing me the opportunity to testify today in support of America's global food security, nutrition, agricultural development and hunger programs. I ask unanimous consent that my written testimony be entered into the Record.

I ask the Committee to support the President's FY 2012 budget request of:

  • $1.558 billion for the Feed the Future Initiative in the Development Assistance Account;
  • $150 million for nutrition programs in the Global Health and Child Survival Account; and
  • $300 million for the International Disaster Assistance Account for emergency food security and other interventions for vulnerable people in humanitarian crises.

I also ask that the Committee provide the funds requested for the Global Agriculture and Food Security Fund for multilateral investments through the U.S. Department of Treasury. We all know that other donors look at the U.S. contribution to determine their own level of funding. It's hard to take other nations to task if we fail to meet our own funding commitments.

Madam Chairwoman, I strongly believe that global food security programs are critical to our immediate and long-term national security and economic interests. I do not use these words lightly - or in hopes of taking advantage of a -trendy phrase- in times of hard budget choices. I believe this, and I feel the facts support me.

Starting in the last two years of the Bush Administration, the National Intelligence Estimate began to monitor international food insecurity as a potential threat to U.S. national security. During 2007 - 2008, the last global food crisis, there were major food riots in nearly 40 countries. It was a wake-up call for us and the world.

In January this year, the U.N. reported that the cost of basic food commodities were at their highest levels since the U.N. created this index.

World Bank President Robert Zoellick announced that the Bank's Food Price Index showed food prices are now 29% higher than a year ago. He called upon the G-20 nations to -put food first- on their agendas.

This is a global security crisis.

The lack of food security contributes to instability. Food was a primary reason people first took to the streets in Tunisia. Food and poverty were at the top of the list in the squares of Egypt.

Without greater investments to address food insecurity, we will not be able to significantly reduce the current number of undernourished people in the world. This will have serious implications not only for our efforts to reduce poverty, but for political stability across the globe.

Beginning with the Bush Administration, and continuing under the leadership of Secretary Clinton and USAID Administrator Shah, the U.S. has designed a comprehensive strategy to reduce hunger and increase food security, nutrition and agricultural development.

Feed the Future is the signature program of this strategy. It works with small farmers and governments to increase agricultural production and strengthen local and regional markets. It aims to reduce hunger, increase incomes and grow economies. Over a defined time period, target nations will markedly improve their ability to feed their own people, and reduce their dependence on U.S. and international aid.

Agricultural production is coupled with strong programs to reduce child malnutrition, which robs nations of their future economic potential.

These programs fall under your jurisdiction. They are complemented by the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program and P.L. 480 Food for Peace emergency and chronic hunger food aid programs. These two programs fall under the jurisdiction of the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee.

Madam Chairwoman, I have never heard any of my colleagues say that they would like to see more hunger in the world. I've never heard anyone say they want to see more children too weak from hunger to be able to learn. Or that they want more young girls to be forced to work long hours because they are no longer being fed at school. And I've never heard anyone say they would like to see small farmers around the world fail to make a living because they produce too little and what they do harvest can't get to market.

But those are the consequences if we fail to invest in Feed the Future, child nutrition and global hunger programs. This comprehensive strategy did not exist in 2008. Congress demanded that it happen. We demanded - on a strongly bipartisan basis - that U.S. agencies come together, plan together, work together, and design and carry out a government-wide strategy that would significantly increase America's ability to reduce global hunger and increase food security.

They've done what we asked them to do. Now we must provide the funds required to ensure success.

Thank you, Madam Chairwoman.