Deepening the Misery of Hungry People
Peter O'Driscoll
HUNGERFAST.org
Apr 1, 2011
As we go about our lives in the world’s wealthiest country, it is hard to comprehend the human impact of proposed cuts to anti-hunger programs. The U.S. House of Representatives has proposed slashing international food assistance by 50%. In concrete terms, this means 18 million people would lose access to feeding programs on which they depend, including 2.5 million children who would no longer receive their daily school meal.
The budget deficit is of concern to all of us, as is the state of the US economy. But gutting international assistance programs that make up a fraction of a percent of the federal budget will not make the slightest difference to either of these problems. What it will do is deepen the pain and desperation of millions of the poorest and hungriest people in the world. In many regions, the prices of staple foods are at record highs, making it increasingly difficult for people to feed their families. The longer prices continue to increase, the greater the chances that the situation will turn into a major food crisis on the scale of the one we faced in 2008.
Three years ago when the world faced skyrocketing food prices, global leaders came together to address the roots of the problem. The result was a renewed commitment to investment in agriculture in poor countries. New international efforts like the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program and US-based initiatives like Feed the Future tackle the roots of chronic hunger by helping small farmers grow more food and get it to local markets.
We know that these programs work. Investment in agriculture in Malawi over the past seven years has reduced the number of people requiring food aid from over 4.5 million to less than 150,000. But Congress has proposed cutting agricultural development funds by approximately 30%, threatening to derail one of the most exciting and potentially effective efforts to address world hunger in a generation.
In tough economic times, as many members of Congress argue that the US cannot afford international assistance, we must respond that deepening the misery of poor and hungry people and withdrawing from the world’s most pressing problems is not a viable response to economic pain at home. Our efforts to fight hunger and poverty are a vital demonstration of American values and leadership in the world, one we cannot afford to do without.
Peter O’Driscoll is executive director of ActionAid USA. ActionAid works with poor and excluded people around the world, helping them to fight for their rights to food, shelter, work, education, healthcare and a voice in the decisions that affect their lives. Prior to joining ActionAid, Peter worked at the Center of Concern as founder and coordinator of the Agribusiness Accountability Initiative, a global network of farm, labor, environment, consumer, faith and development organizations that work to address market distortions created by monopoly power in the world food system. He lives with his wife and two daughters in Takoma Park, MD.