![Food Security and Minimizing Postharvest Loss
On February 19, the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs along with the Office of Global Food Security and the Foreign Service Institute will host the conference “Food Security and Minimizing Postharvest Loss.” Government officials, representatives from the private sector, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, and foreign diplomatic corps will discuss the issue of postharvest loss, focusing on Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia. [Read More]](http://25.media.tumblr.com/a895718ad981dcb1b2c7c33158950123/tumblr_mi82onfNEN1r391tko1_250.jpg)
Food Security and Minimizing Postharvest Loss
On February 19, the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs along with the Office of Global Food Security and the Foreign Service Institute will host the conference “Food Security and Minimizing Postharvest Loss.” Government officials, representatives from the private sector, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, and foreign diplomatic corps will discuss the issue of postharvest loss, focusing on Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia. [Read More]
A readout of Ambassador David Lane’s recent trip to Tanzania.
Just how many people does the World Food Program feed each year? How much does that cost and where does it get the money? Find the answers to these questions and more in this infographic about WFP—the world’s largest humanitarian aid agency.
In this video, narrator Matt Damon discusses efforts to turn the tide against global hunger and increase agricultural production around the world. The video was shown at the “Feed the Future: Partnering With Civil Society” event, held in New York on September 27, 2012. Feed the Future is the U.S. global hunger and food security initiative; learn more athttp://www.feedthefuture.gov. [Go to http://www.state.gov/video for more video and text transcript.]
![Join Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs Esther Brimmer for a discussion on U.S. priorities at the 67th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Friday, September 21, 9:00-9:45 a.m. EDT.
[UN Photo. A wide view of the General Assembly meeting. 03 August 2012 United Nations, New York]](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_manv4eDICJ1r391tko1_250.jpg)
Join Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs Esther Brimmer for a discussion on U.S. priorities at the 67th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Friday, September 21, 9:00-9:45 a.m. EDT.
[UN Photo. A wide view of the General Assembly meeting. 03 August 2012 United Nations, New York]
"Higher food productivity is needed to address the food crisis. Nuclear techniques in development will help increase food productivity."
Hungry Planet Video: Espisode 18
In this episode: emergency support helps build farmers’ resilience against the growing food crisis in the Sahel; thousands of Syrian refugees search for safety and shelter in the impoverished Beqaa Valley in Lebanon; and a system to filter and reuse grey water for irrigation could change millions of lives in Brazil.
"We just completed our trip together. If you’ve never had the chance to travel with him, I recommend it. He is indefatigable, he is incredibly well-versed in all the in’s and out’s of refugee crises, and of course he is quite committed to the cause of refugees. That was partly the reason for our trip, was to bring attention to a relatively neglected crisis.
It’s really three crises, I would say. It’s the food crisis in the Sahel region, it’s what’s happened in Mali, the conflict that has beset the north of that country, and it’s also the refugee flows to neighboring countries. So in Burkina Faso we traveled north to visit the Damba refugee camp. We met with refugees. We sat and talked with them and got a much better feel for the particular crisis at hand involving refugees from Mali.
The United States is very concerned about the crisis, and we’re also concerned that there are not sufficient resources going to it. The United States has provided $355 million worth of aid and food to countries in the Sahel and the refugee portion of that is $34.5 million. The largest piece of that goes to UNHCR.
"
Did you know that seven Iowa State University students are actively engaged in a landmark project with the FAO, helping to contribute to sustainable smart agriculture? The student group’s contributions to FAO are commendable and USUN Rome was pleased to host them for a discussion about the Mission’s role with respect to food security and nutrition.
Keeping Promises on Food Security
About the Author: Jonathan Shrier serves as Special Representative for Global Food Security (Acting).
Food security representatives from around the world are gathering here at the Department of State today to finish a two-day meeting of the signatories of the L’Aquila Food Security Initiative (AFSI). In 2009 at the G-8 Summit, global leaders, including President Obama, endorsed the L’Aquila Joint Statement on Global Food Security, agreeing to “to act with the scale and urgency needed to achieve sustainable global food security.”
This marked a turning point for international efforts to achieve food security worldwide. Leaders committed to a take a comprehensive approach to ensure food security, coordinate effectively, support country-owned processes and plans, engage multilateral… more »
Haiti: Two Year Commemoration of the January 12, 2010, Earthquake
The U.N. and other aid agencies have characterized the January 12, 2010, earthquake in Haiti as the largest urban disaster in modern history. The earthquake affected an estimated 3 million people, including approximately 1.5 million people displaced to 1,300 settlements sites throughout Port-au-Prince. One of the biggest challenges following the earthquake has been to provide shelter to those who lost their houses. The more than 10 million cubic meters of debris created by the earthquake have hindered reconstruction efforts. Furthermore, unclear property rights and lack of land titles complicated shelter recovery efforts. The loss of critical records in the earthquake has made identifying the rightful owners of land extremely difficult, and this has exacerbated the problem of identifying land for housing.
Two years since the earthquake struck Haiti, USAID—working closely with other U.S. Government agencies and the international community, and in support of the Government of Haiti’s objectives—has provided significant support for the emergency response and recovery process, and has provided a base for long-term sustainable development in the areas of infrastructure, energy, economic security, food security, health, education, and democracy and governance. Together with the Haitian people, the Government of Haiti, and the international community, USAID and the U.S. Government are continuing to help to build a stable and economically viable Haiti. Click HERE to learn more about what USAID has done since the earthquake.
Helping Guatemala Cultivate a Better Future
By Ertharin Cousin, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies in Rome.
Cooperativa Agricola Integral Mujeres Quatro Pinos (Integrated Women’s Agricultural Cooperative) in the central highlands of Guatemala is a heartening example of what women can accomplish when they set their minds to it, work together and receive the necessary investment support.
I visited Quatro Pinos’ vegetable production, processing, and marketing operation last week on a media tour of Guatemala as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations agencies in Rome.
In just six years, the cooperative has grown from a group of 35 women with small vegetable plots to a 350-member cooperative that manages 415 acres of land. Since the fall of 2010, they have quadrupled their production from 450,000 to 2 million pounds of vegetables. They grow snow peas, English peas, string beans, and mini carrots that they then process, package and export — much to the… more »
FWD Campaign and MTV Announce Celebrity Auction for the Horn of Africa
Just in time for the Holiday season, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Ad Council, and MTV Act have partnered to launch a celebrity auction to raise awareness and money for the crisis in Horn of Africa.
The auction, running until December 18, features exclusive items and experiences from MTV artists and show talent. Snooki, Rob Dyrdek, Nick Jonas and Kelly Clarkson are a few of celebrities that have donated items to be auctioned off. Proceeds of the auction will go to a group of eight organizations working to provide humanitarian relief to the crisis. To view the auction visit: http://is.gd/mtvactauction.
Today in East Africa, in a region known as the Horn, more than 13.3 million people are in crisis - that’s more than the populations of New York City and Los Angeles combined. The worst drought the world has seen in 60 years is devastating farmlands, uprooting families and killing tens of thousands in four countries: Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti and Somalia.
The auction is part of USAID and Ad Council’s Famine. War. Drought (FWD) Campaign. Launched on September 19th, the FWD campaign aims to raise awareness of the crisis in the Horn of Africa and link Americans to actions that can help those in need. To learn more about the crisis in the Horn of Africa, visit www.usaid.gov/FWD.
