Lawmakers discuss politics of food aid at event launching new 'Roadmap to End Global Hunger'

"The chairman of the House agricultural appropriations panel warned anti-hunger groups on Tuesday that their pleas for more funding will fall on deaf ears unless they're willing to deal with the politics of foreign aid," The Hill's "Global Affairs" blog reports. According to the blog, "[t]hat includes support for genetically modified crops, better accountability from nonprofit groups, outreach to members of Congress and understanding that aid recipients' votes against the United States at the United Nations matter, said Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.)."

"Kingston, who supports increased funding for food aid and agricultural development, made the remarks at the launch event for the new Roadmap to End Global Hunger (.pdf), a document put together by 11 advocacy groups," "Global Affairs" notes. "The new roadmap recommends that the United States invest $5 billion a year in those four areas, and calls for the appointment of a Global Food Security Coordinator responsible for overseeing a government-wide global food security strategy," the blog writes and highlights six recommendations in the roadmap (Pecquet, 7/24).