New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition 'an important step' in addressing food security

In this post in The Hill's "Congress Blog," former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) and the DuPont Advisory Committee on Agriculture Innovation and Productivity -- a group of experts in global agriculture development, science, policy and economics -- reflect on the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition, launched by the Obama Administration last month. "The New Alliance aligns two principles that are critical to global food security -- the need for private sector investment and the importance of empowering smallholder farmers," they write.

Noting "[o]ver 60 companies are signing the 'Private Sector Declaration of Support for African Agricultural Development' and over 45 companies are signing letters of intent with participating African countries," they write, "The letters of intent represent the commitment of multinational companies wanting to facilitate agriculture development along the value chain -- from the provision of seeds and other inputs to ensuring access to financing and credit solutions." They conclude, "Efforts to foster agricultural development worldwide are paramount to not only achieving food security, but global security as well. The commitment of the G8 and African leaders to take on the challenge of global food security in partnership with the private sector is an important step to address this problem" (6/5).