Senator Lugar

Senator Casey and I recently introduced the Global Food Security Act of 2009 (S.384) to re-orient U.S. foreign assistance to focus on hunger and poverty. We very much appreciate that ONE has endorsed the bill. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee recently approved the bill.

Roughly one billion people today suffer from chronic hunger. World population is projected to grow from 6.7 billion to 9.2 billion by 2050. Agricultural productivity will need to at least double by then, but instead it has been stagnating especially in Africa. Farmers will be hard pressed to meet growing demand given the challenges of land, water, and environmental pressures brought about by climate change, soil degradation, deforestation, and volatile fuel prices.

There is little reason for anyone to be hungry in a world in which we have the knowledge and resources to improve food availability and access. The entire world is facing difficult times in this global recession, and now more than ever we need your support to ensure that billions of people do not go hungry and will not in the future. Please contact your Senators and ask them to join us in cosponsoring the bill. If you would like to learn more about the bill and the issue, please visit the food security page of my website.

-Senator Richard G. Lugar, Indiana