The global food crisis that made headlines throughout 2008 has been eclipsed in recent months by news of the global financial crisis. Despite the lack of headlines, the food crisis is still in full swing. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) recently reported that additional 40 million people were pushed into hunger in 2008, increasing the number of hungry people around the world to 963 million, 907 million of whom live in the developing world. In Lesotho, for example, virtually 100% of families responding to a recent food security survey reported being effected by rising food prices, while fifty percent reported borrowing food to get by and more than forty percent have cut down on meals.

The precarious food situation in the developing world, coupled with the fact that approximately one half of people in the developing world rely on agriculture for their livelihood, make this an ideal time for the U.S. to increase support of agriculture in the developing world. We at ONE recently submitted a briefing to the presidential transition team advocating that the Obama administration increase funding levels for agriculture and development as it takes office.

We recommend a quick infusion of an additional $2 million in funding in fiscal year 2009 over the 2008 funding level of $413 million. This funding will provide developing countries that are facing food insecurity now with urgently needed inputs like seeds, fertilizer, food, and micronutrients that will help jumpstart their agricultural sectors and improve agricultural yields, in addition to providing necessary food aid. Secondly, we are calling for an initial investment of $850 million in fiscal year 2010, an increase of $437 million over fiscal year 2008 funding levels, to fund capacity building, access to improved seeds, tools, research, and improved agricultural methods and technology.

We at ONE also advocate that U.S. food aid and other inputs be flexible, allowing goods to be purchased locally rather than being shipped from the U.S., ensuring that local markets can benefit from the production and trade of these goods.

Often, funding for food security in the developing world translates into additional money for emergency food aid. While food aid is vital in emergency or conflict situations, it does not assist the developing world in strengthening their agricultural sectors and providing their own food. Agriculture is a tool that can both address the current food crisis, prevent future shortfalls, and can be the ticket out of poverty for many in the developing world. However, in order to successfully leverage agriculture as a tool for development, we need more than a short-term solution of food, seeds, and fertilizer – we need a global short-, medium-, and long-term plan.

In the long-term, we recommend that the administration develop a long-term funding approach to agricultural development based on the current Lugar-Casey Bill (S.3529) – bipartisan legislation which was introduced in the 110th Congress. The Lugar-Casey Bill calls for $10 billion over five years in funding for agriculture in the developing world, including the provision of inputs like seeds, fertilizer, tools, and training, as well as funding for technology research and innovation. The bill also includes an authorization for $500 million for emergency food aid. We expect that this legislation will be reintroduced for consideration by the 111th Congress.

Additional funding based on the priorities of the Lugar-Casey Bill will lay the foundations for agricultural productivity in the developing world. These strategies include improving access to local and regional markets for farmers in poor countries, investing in rural infrastructure like feeder roads, electrification, and irrigation systems, and investing in social safety net programs like school feeding programs or cash-for-work programs that focus on the poorest and most vulnerable.

In December, the European Union voted to allocate €1 billion ($1.5 billion) in unused budget money (much of which is from unused farm subsidy accounts) to be directed to agricultural development in poor countries. With agriculture and development a potential topic at the G8 meetings this year in Italy, now is the time for the U.S. to step up and define themselves as a leader in the global fight against hunger in both the short- and long-term.

-Beth Adler