Today, while in Tanzania, USAID Administrator and Feed the Future Global Coordinator Samantha Power announced an additional $260 million to surge support for the U.S. government response to the global food security crisis. This comes at a critical time as new interlocking and compounding shocks exacerbate existing food needs, with an estimated 768 million people already facing chronic hunger.
This new funding will be provided through Feed the Future, the U.S. government's global hunger initiative. To overcome the immediate food insecurity challenges and strengthen food systems to withstand new shocks, Feed the Future is expanding efforts to transform what is grown, how it's grown, and who benefits.
As part of this effort, the United States will make investments to bolster its regional and bilateral programs as well as its agricultural and nutrition efforts in countries across Africa and Asia that have been hardest hit by the crisis. Specifically, this new assistance will include programs to leverage the private sector; boost local fertilizer production and improve soil health - including through the Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils; increase food yields by helping farmers adopt climate-smart practices; increase water access for farming communities; reduce food loss and strengthen food market systems; and fight and prevent malnutrition.
USAID has now committed more than $14 billion in humanitarian and development assistance since June 2022 in more than 47 countries to address the global food security crisis exacerbated by Putin's brutal and unprovoked war on Ukraine. This includes today's announcement and the $2.76 billion that President Biden announced during the G7 Leaders' Summit in June 2022 to respond to immediate needs as well as sustainable, near-term food assistance.
This funding is critical to advance the U.S. government's response to the global food security crisis by mitigating the ongoing fertilizer shortage, increasing investments in agricultural capacity and resilience, and cushioning the impact of macroeconomic shocks. These strategic investments have allowed USAID, in collaboration with local partners and governments, to make a difference on-the-ground during the crisis: equipping farmers with fertilizer so they can continue to grow crops, enabling small and medium businesses to stay open, and ensuring businesses can continue to produce safe, nutritious foods at affordable prices.
As the lead for the whole-of-government Feed the Future initiative, USAID remains committed to addressing this historic food crisis, but we cannot do this alone. Fighting global hunger is a collective effort and we urge other donors to step up. Together, we can cultivate a more prosperous and resilient future for all.
