A report to Congress on the $75 million FY09 food security strategy

The Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2009, signed by President Obama on March 11, 2009, provided $75 million in agriculture funds targeted to food security. These funds provide essential continuity to programs begun in 2008 and allow new investments to build a foundation for the launch in 2010 of a broader long-term strategy to sustainably reduce hunger and malnutrition. A larger food security strategy is currently being developed under the leadership of the Department of State. This will be global in scope and will incorporate significant input from USAID. USAID's current food security effort continues high priority investments in Africa launched last year. These focused on investments that have the greatest potential to increase agricultural productivity rapidly and reach the most vulnerable people. The funds will also build a base for targeted activities in Asia where the largest number of food insecure people live. Latin America, which will also be part of the strategy, has received priority for funding within the overall agriculture budget and thus is not reported here. The new funding is critical to keep momentum, focus and delivery of results in the two regions where USAID food security activities were concentrated last fall -- West Africa and East Africa.