U.S. international food assistance report 2008

In fiscal year (FY) 2008, the United States provided more than $2.8 billion from U.S. food aid programs to developing countries, reaching tens of millions of people worldwide. Over the course of FY 2008, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) international food assistance programs have proven increasingly responsive to global efforts at reducing food insecurity and targeting those most in need. By responding to assessment and situational information, focusing on reducing risk and vulnerability, targeting the poorest of the poor and better integrating individual programs into larger, often international, efforts, the U.S. Government aims to improve the effectiveness of aid and to reach global targets for reducing hunger, malnutrition and poverty. At the same time, USAID non-emergency programs continued to focus on increasing agricultural production and supporting efforts to address health, nutrition, HIV and other programs aimed at investing in people. Special emphasis is placed on combating the root causes of hunger and malnutrition. Over the course of the year, more than 7.2 million people in 28 countries benefited from USAID Title II non-emergency food assistance. Food for Progress and McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition programs, both implemented by USDA, provided commodities to food-insecure populations through the World Food Program (WFP), private voluntary organizations (PVOs) and foreign governments. These resources supported a variety of food security objectives in developing countries, such as agricultural sector development, rural development, humanitarian assistance, HIV mitigation programs, school feeding and maternal and child health programs. In FY 2008, USDA"s McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program provided commodities for in-school feeding, take-home rations to keep girls enrolled in school, as well as nutrition programs for mothers, infants and children under age 5, benefitting the lives of more than 2.6 million beneficiaries. (Author abstract, modified)