USAID talks food security with CWS

From "Lesley Crosson" <LCrosson@churchworldservice.org>
Date Fri, 04 Nov 2011 17:23:12 -0400

For Immediate Release
November 4, 2011
 
CWS,CROP Hunger Walks and Food Security: A Q&A with Paul Weisenfeld of
USAID 
 
When participants in the CWS-sponsored CROP Hunger Walk in Arlington,
Va. 
stepped off from Arlington Forest United Methodist Church last month,
among the walkers was the head of the federal bureau charged with
leading the effort to implement President Obama's global food security
initiative.
 
Paul Weisenfeld, who heads the USAID's Bureau for Food Security didn't
just walk, he also spoke to participants about his agency's response to
the Horn of Africa crisis and about the need to invest in food security
through efforts like the U.S. government's Feed the Future initiative. 
 
As described by government officials, the initiative is "a
multi-billion dollar international effort led by USAID to develop the
agricultural sectors of a number of countries throughout the developing
world.
 
"Along with partners and stakeholders, the BFS will address the needs
of smallholder farmers and agribusinesses; support women to deliver
lasting economic growth; build on research, innovation, and private
sector-led growth; and increase investments in agricultural development
and nutrition, while maintaining our support for humanitarian food
assistance."
 
Recently CWS's Chris Herlinger interviewed Weisenfeld.
 
Q: Why is there a need for alliances between agencies like CWS and
USAID?
A:  When you think about the challenges we face in feeding the world,
the problems are huge. There was a time, during the 1960s, with the
advent of the "Green Revolution" that people felt we had solved the
problem of food security forever. But we've seen famines since and
under-nutrition is still a problem. So this is a situation where we
can't do it alone, when we need the help of partners like CWS.
 
Q: Why does hunger still exist in the world?
A: One of those who has thought deeply about this is (the Indian
economist and Nobel Prize winner) Amartya Sen, who has written
extensively on governance and how that relates to this problem. If we
see what is unfolding now in the Horn of Africa, we see Kenya and
Ethiopia, two countries with established governments and experiencing
drought – but not a famine. But in Somalia, a nation without a
functioning government, you have a drought and a famine. Why is that? In
a famine situation, there is obviously some outside stimulant, like a
drought or major disease, that has a negative effect on food security.
But the question is how do a country’s social and political systems
respond to that stimulant? In Kenya and Ethiopia, the governments are
able to step up and do something about it. Not so in Somalia.
 
Q: There are plenty of criticisms made of US food policies, some of
them made before the recent initiatives that stress the need for
countries not to be dependent on "food aid." How do you respond to
critics?
A: Part of the origin of the U.S. food aid system initiated after World
War II was the idea of using surplus U.S. grain to feed people overseas.
We're on a path of being more nuanced and responsive to specific needs.
Our efforts through Feed the Future recognize the importance of
providing food aid and other humanitarian assistance during crises to
save lives and protect livelihoods. They also integrate nutrition
interventions to ensure that our investments lead both to improved
agriculture and better health. When there is an immediate problem and a
shortage of food, the United States will ship food, but we want our
response to be as tailored to specific needs of hungry people as we can.
In instances where there are food security needs but food is available
in an affected country or region, we will explore options to provide
cash or vouchers for people to buy locally available food, which also
helps support local economies. 
 
Q: And that is the way of the future?
A: It is – food security is key, and that has long been recognized by
leaders in countries, like India, where there we
re once famines. A
situation like we have in the Horn of Africa doesn't have to be that
way. Countries can emerge out of hunger and poverty. The knowledge is
there. But that is also why partnerships are important – it is important
that partners like CWS raise awareness on the issue of hunger and keep
vigilant.
 
Q: And CROP Hunger Walks are a part of that process?
A: Yes. It was a great opportunity, participating in that walk – it was
my first experience with one -- and there was a sense of people learning
and valuing the experience. Right now, in society, there is a lot more
awareness than there ever has been about the issues of food and hunger.
 
Q: Is there a way for people to become aware of and interested in the
issues of development beyond the crisis of an emergency?
A: I think there is, and perhaps it is by highlighting how issues are
connected and intertwined.  For instance, there is currently some
discussion about how under-nutrition can have additional consequences
for patients with HIV/AIDS. When people are undernourished, their immune
systems are compromised and their defenses are down.  Research suggests
this can make it more difficult for medicines – including HIV drugs –to
be effective. We’ve seen some countries, like Malawi, start to show real
success in improving lives by addressing HIV/AIDS prevention and
treatment needs in tandem with efforts to boost food security and
improve nutrition.
 
Q: Right now, many US citizens are not thinking about life beyond our
borders, given the economic pressures in our own country. How do you
respond to those concerns? Should we still be "internationalists"? 
A: Yes. Domestic issues obviously take a lot of space because they are
so important to our day –to-day lives, but I think we need to be
constantly aware that issues are connected, both here at home and
abroad. Martin Luther King Jr. said, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to
justice everywhere," and we know that instability in one place in the
world can affect our country, and disrupt our own economy. By contrast,
stability helps us as a country. Three countries that once received U.S.
foreign assistance, including food aid and agricultural development
assistance -- Mexico, South Korea and Brazil -- are now among the top 10
importers of U.S. products.  By what we do now, we can create stability
around the world and help build the markets of tomorrow. But the key
point is: we can make a difference now and address the root causes of
hunger and poverty.
 
Media Contacts
Lesley Crosson, (212) 870-2676, media@churchworldservice.org
Jan Dragin - 24/7 - (781) 925-1526, jdragin@gis.net
 
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