US Food Security Assistance to Sub-Saharan Africa

This week, Secretary Blinken will visit South Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda, where the United States is committing resources and working in partnership with African governments, institutions, businesses, academics, and other leaders to prevent and fight hunger. global food security crisis, while addressing rising levels of malnutrition, which has hit the African continent hardest.

At the G7 summit in June, President Biden and G7 leaders announced more than $4.5 billion in global food security, more than half of which will come from the United States. This $2.76 billion from the US government will help protect the world’s most vulnerable populations and mitigate the effects of rising food insecurity and malnutrition, including as a result of Russia’s war in Ukraine, by increasing production capacity and more sustainable agricultural and food systems around the world and responding to immediate food needs. We recognized the need for immediate action to prevent far-reaching consequences, and we responded by supporting Africa’s own plans for food security and food systems transformation.

Of this $2.76 billion, $760 million will go towards sustainable short-term food assistance to help mitigate further increases in poverty, hunger and malnutrition in vulnerable countries affected by high food, fertilizer and fuel prices. Of this amount, we are working with Congress to provide $336.5 million for bilateral programs for sub-Saharan Africa, including Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi , Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe and regional programs in Southern Africa, West Africa and the Sahel.

• Additionally, of this $2.76 billion, USAID is planning $2 billion in emergency food assistance for the next three months. As of August 8, 2022, the U.S. has committed nearly $1 billion specifically to African countries as part of this $2 billion commitment, including Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Somalia , South Sudan and Uganda.

In addition to the G7 President’s commitment, the US announced a reduction in the balance of the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Fund, an effort in coordination with the US Department of Agriculture, which will provide an additional $670 million in food aid in response to historic levels of acute food insecurity around the world. Funds announced in July and August 2022 will be used to purchase U.S. food supplies to support existing emergency food operations in countries facing severe food insecurity. Resources will be delivered to: Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan.

President Biden also announced that the United States is expanding sustainable African food production through the US government’s landmark Global Food Security Initiative to eight additional African countries, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania and Zambia. This expansion brings the number of priority countries worldwide to 20 and fulfills President Biden’s commitment in September 2021 to work with Congress to provide $5 billion through the Feed the Future program to end global hunger, malnutrition and build resilient, sustainable and inclusive food systems for border.

Finally, the U.S. government will also contribute to international efforts to support livelihoods and nutrition and help vulnerable countries build resilience to shocks, including food price volatility, supply chain challenges, climate impacts, and other long-term threats. Subject to notification by Congress, the US plans to allocate $120 million for the following activities:

• The African Development Bank’s (AfDB) African Emergency Food Production Fund (AEFPF) to increase production of climate-adapted wheat, maize, rice and soybeans over the next four growing seasons in Africa.
• International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Crisis Response Initiative (CRI) to help protect livelihoods and increase the resilience of rural communities.
• Africa Adaptation Initiative (AAI) to develop a pipeline of private equity banking projects in Africa.
• Africa Disaster Risk Financing (ARC) program to help African governments respond to food system shocks by increasing access to risk insurance products.
• Fertilizer Efficiency and an Innovative Program to Improve Fertilizer Efficiency in Fertilizer Overapplication Countries.
• Support from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) will fund soil mapping in several countries to obtain information that will enable more efficient use of water, more efficient use of fertilizers and improved climate resilience.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of the US Embassy and Consulate in Nigeria.