World leaders guilty of neglecting promises to fight hunger in poorest countries
As aid agencies warn more than 9 million people could be affected by a food crisis in East Africa, world leaders are failing to keep their 2009 promises to tackle the causes of chronic hunger and support farmers in the world’s poorest countries.
On the two-year anniversary of the L’Aquila commitments, which saw leaders promise to invest $22 billion in agriculture development, ONE’s new report ‘Agriculture Accountability‘ finds that donors have only delivered a fifth of the money promised with just one year to go until the deadline. As well as neglecting their financial commitments the report found countries are not demonstrating the political will needed to prevent future food crises.
The report’s key findings include:
- Overall donors have met only 22% of the financial pledges made at L’Aquila in 2009.
- Canada and Italy have delivered more than two-thirds of their pledges. France, the UK, Germany and the US need to substantial increase the funds they distribute in order to meet their commitments.
- Donors are not taking on the challenges of ensuring effective agriculture aid is delivered with the political will and momentum needed to tackle poverty and chronic hunger.
At the 2009 L’Aquila G8 Summit, the G8 and 5 other donors promised to: (1) deliver the funds within 3 years; (2) agree to a set of principles to guide how they would spend this money; and (3) remain transparent and accountable to their commitments. Twenty-seven countries and 15 international organisations signed a joint statement of commitment, bringing into existence the Aquila Food Security Initiative.
Yet two years on world leaders are guilty of letting slide their promises to fight the root causes of hunger, in particular very low agricultural productivity in regions like sub-Saharan Africa. We should not need a food crisis to wake us up to the need to not just give food aid now, but also deliver on the promised partnership with African leaders, citizens and the private sector to boost yields across the region.
Fortunately with food security on the agenda of the G20 later this year there is a real opportunity for a new partnership to turn this around. With the right support Africans can both feed themselves and export to the world, helping them fight hunger and poverty and helping us all with lower food prices. The US Government has calculated for example that 40 million poor farming families across the world, most of them living on less than $2 per day, would be able to increase their incomes by 250% if the L’Aquila commitments are met. So delivering the L’Aquila promises and investing in food production is a win-win all round.
Find out more in the report Agriculture Accountability
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11/07/2011 at 7:06 pm
how can we help for the student want to proceed their educational level when they finished high school but cant proceed their education for suck of problems as civil wars also get no to departure to upgrade
11/07/2011 at 8:03 pm
Maybe it’s because of all the reports that ONE used most of it’s money for salaries and expensive gifts to hopeful donors.
20/07/2011 at 12:37 am
ONE should show the funders where the money is going as suspicion will lead to their not meeting their pledges, this is the best way to silence the critics. ONE is doing a good job advocating for those in need. As an African, I have seen first hand how monies sent to help those in need can easily be misused . One os creating awareness of these issues to some people who may not be aware of the despeate situation in some of th eworld’s poorest countries, where people fight to keep the one and most important gift; the gift of life, which can be saved if resources were available and shared equally. I say to ONE,”carry on doing the good job” but devise a method for the donors and readers to see so that they can put their trust in you.
28/07/2011 at 10:09 am
i agree with angela they have to show where the money is gong as we speke people are dying moving from there villages because of war,hunger & dictatorship we have to help them now you said u wanted our voice well this is our voice saying help is badly needed
28/07/2011 at 6:48 pm
hello every one
since i am somalian adutl who realy livei n somalia particularly in hargeisa i would like to tell you that i even live in bad situation but no one knows that since i am alittle bit talented i still live in a bad life and i am hoping to go to the one of the ethiopian refugee camp coz life in my country is realy hard so not only me all the adults from somalia are trying to get a peace place better then somalia but they are anable becouse of the islamic millitias if i had a money i should earlier went to one of my nearest refugee camp so can i get some help out here.
NP: i am glad to be one of you actine as one helping each other thnx
01/08/2011 at 3:39 pm
There must be a way for us, the people to do more than our irresponsable leaders. ONE i find is a great way of doing so but it is true that we should be able to see where our money is actually going. I, like many of you have ONE hope, ONE dream for a poverty free world and this is the best place to start.
04/08/2011 at 12:35 pm
To respond to comment that ONE uses its money for salaries- the comment from Janice- have you noticed that the ONE campaign is an advocacy organization and not a charity? If you haven’t, you may want to look into what those two things mean before you start making comments that reveal your ignorance.
04/08/2011 at 3:48 pm
please the government should try and do something very fast the time is no more on our side. the people are dying.