WASHINGTON (April 19, 2024) The Alliance to End Hunger applauds the announcement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to bolster emergency food assistance to key countries facing severe hunger and malnutrition. $1 billion will be deployed through the Commodity Credit Corporation to purchase American food commodities in order to respond to emergency food crises around the globe.
The purchasing of wheat, corn, rice, peas, beans, and other commodities will contribute to emergency response in 18 stated countries including Sudan, Haiti, South Sudan, and Yemen. The funding also includes a $50 million pilot project dedicated to exploring other commodities that would increase food security outcomes in emergency situations.
25 million people are currently in need of humanitarian assistance in Sudan and the surrounding countries of South Sudan and Chad. Sudan is quickly becoming the world’s largest hunger crisis. Justin Bradey, head of the U.N. humanitarian coordination office for Sudan, warned that tens or even hundreds of thousands could potentially die in coming months from malnutrition-related causes.
The announcement follows the Biden Administration’s commitment last fall in response to the ongoing food crisis. This proposal has strong bipartisan support in the U.S. Congress, most notably from Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Ranking Member John Boozman (R-AR).
“There are currently over 200 million people around the world in need of emergency food assistance today,” stated Alliance to End Hunger president Eric Mitchell. “This announcement is great news, and it is important that we ensure this food is procured, shipped, and distributed as quickly as humanly possible. There is no time to waste.”
