Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), Chairman of the House panel on Africa and global health, today held a hearing to assess the benefits of the Global Food Security Act (GFSA), which was signed into law in July of last year. The objective of the GFSA is to enhance U.S. national security interests by enhancing food security around the world, helping countries achieve food self-sufficiency so as to reduce their dependency on U.S. foreign aid. 

       At the hearing, Smith also announced that he was working on reauthorization legislation, and called upon witnesses to explain what worked well and what needs improving, so that Congress could enhance our existing food security strategy.

     “While GFSA was only signed into law in 2016, it codified a policy that had a far longer history,” said Smith, who authored the House version of the food security legislation. “Like the landmark PEPFAR program, it bridges multiple Administrations. It was President Bush who, beginning in 2002, started to elevate the importance of food security in U.S. foreign policy, especially in Africa, via the Initiative to End Hunger in Africa.”

    “Today, we see President Trump and his administration continuing to implement the GFSA. But we need to ask ourselves, are we truly firing on all cylinders? Are we achieving the best possible results in terms of nutrition and stunting reduction, or are we failing to maximize our investments?” Click Here for Smith’s Full Statement.

     Chronic hunger affects more than 800 million people around the planet. The GFSA coordinates the efforts of 11 government agencies in improving basic nutrition and reducing hunger in 19 priority countries, helping ensure that they become less dependent on foreign aid.

     Among its many key provisions, the GFSA helps ensure nutrition in the first 1,000 days, from conception to around the 2^nd birthday—a decisive period of time when brain and cognitive as well as physical functions develop. Inadequate nutrition during this time leads to numerous health problems, including life-long stunting.

     Beth Dunford, Assistant to the Administrator at Bureau for Food Security at U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), said “The old adage holds true: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.  By investing in long-term solutions to food security today, we can reduce the need for costly food aid in the future, and help entire countries move away from aid dependency to self-sufficiency.” Click Here for Dunford’s Full Statement.

     C.D. Glin, President and CEO of U.S. African Development Foundation (USADF), said, “USADF foreign assistance provides underserved communities across Africa a voice and a choice in their economic development priorities and puts them on a self-sustaining pathway to prosperity.” Click Here for Glin’s Full Statement.

     Ted Lyng, Acting Special Representative for Global Food Security at the U.S. Department of State, said, “We are diplomatically engaging foreign governments bilaterally and through international fora to promote policies to improve global food security and nutrition, which ultimately leads to global security – including U.S. security interests.” Click Here for Lyng’s Full Statement.

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