According to an article published online by the Financial Times, the G8 countries will announce a "food security initiative" later this week. The initiative will include a commitment of more than $12 billion for agricultural development over the next three years. To read more from the Financial Times article, click here.At the 2009 G8 Summit, which is being held July 8-10, 2009, the leaders will pledge to reverse "the tendency of decreasing official development aid and national financing toward agriculture," according to the draft declaration seen by the Financial Times. Food security, food safety and the struggle against climate changes are a few of the main issues on the G8 Summit agenda.
This initiative is in line with the Obama Administration's new approach to fighting global hunger. The Telegraph is reporting that the U.S. will no longer focus solely on food aid, a policy position highlighted in recent speeches by Hillary Clinton, U.S. secretary of state, and Tom Vilsack, the U.S. agriculture secretary. Vilsack has recently promoted the Administration's view that food security and global stability are tied to one another in an interview with the Financial Times, Vilsack said:
This is not just about food security, this is about national security, it is about environmental security.Clinton has also spoken out on the issue, saying last month:
For too long, our primary response [to fight hunger] has been to send emergency [food] aid when the crisis is at its worst. This saves lives, but it doesn't address hunger's root causes. It is, at best, a short-term fix.Most of the money for the initiative will come from the US. and Japan, which will spend between $3-4 billion each. The other funding will come from Europe and Canada. To read more, click here.
Posted: 07/06/09
