CWS urges restoration of U.S. funding for global hunger

["Lesley Crosson" <lcrosson@churchworldservice.org>]

CWS urges restoration of U.S. funding for global hunger 

NEW YORK, Jan. 20, 2011--As global food prices again begin to rise, Church 
World Service is urging President Barack Obama to restore funding for a 
program to address hunger and food security in developing nations by 
improving the productivity of small farmers.

In a January 18 letter to President Obama, the global humanitarian agency 
joined with other agencies to express concern that the Global Agriculture 
and Food Security Program (GAFSP) Trust Fund is at risk as budget 
negotiators look for ways to trim government spending.

The GAFSP trust fund is a key component of the administration's global 
hunger fighting initiative, called "Feed the Future." 

The letter, signed by 28 organizations, urges President Obama to "make an 
interagency transfer of at least $100 million to the GAFSP for the period 
from October 2010 - March 2011," both to fund the program and to encourage 
other international donors to deliver on their pledges. (text of etter at 
http://www.churchworldservice.org/site/DocServer/NGO_Letter_to_President_Obama_on_GAFSP_Transfer_FINAL.pdf?docID=4421)

The Obama administration initially pledged $475 million, with other donor 
nations also committed to contribute.  The U.S so far has delivered just 
$67 million of its pledge and the newly negotiated FY11 budget includes no 
further funding, much to the chagrin of CWS and other anti-hunger 
advocates. 

In a meeting earlier this month with United States Agency for International 
Development (USAID) officials, CWS Executive Director and CEO John L. 
McCullough praised U.S. recognition of the importance of coupling nutrition 
with food security in the Feed the Future initiative.

Following news of the FY11 budget's denial of funding for GAFSP, McCullough 
said, "The U.S. has never failed to address the issue of global hunger or 
to provide the kind of support farmers in developing nations need to 
improve their crops to the point that they are abundant, diverse and 
nutritious. 

"It would be detrimental to the success of the Feed the Future initiative 
if the U.S., by pulling back on its commitment to fund GAFSP, sent other 
potential donor nations the message that the program is not important. It 
is a vital component and the administration should fund it immediately."

Media Contacts

Lesley Crosson, (212) 870-2676, media@churchworldservice.org 
Jan Dragin - 24/7 - (781) 925-1526, jdragin@gis.net 

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