USDA and USAID Announce the Global Food Security Research Strategy to Fight Hunger and Build Sustainable Systems

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and USAID Administrator Samantha Power released the U.S. government’s Global Food Security Research Strategy, underscoring the U.S. government’s commitment to ending hunger and malnutrition and building medium to long-term sustainable resilient food systems. The new research strategy emphasizes priority objectives and the use of data to help strengthen the impact of U.S. food security assistance and, with America’s leadership, generate sustainable solutions for addressing the root causes of hunger and malnutrition, which are both inextricably linked to entrenched, extreme poverty.

The new strategy builds on an exceptional record of achievement from past U.S. investments across agriculture and food systems research. For example, USDA and USAID, in collaboration with universities and partners around the world, successfully averted widespread failure of wheat harvests in the face of a new and fatal strain of wheat stem rust that threatened global harvests over the last 15 years. Other accomplishments also include partnerships that have now brought drought-tolerant maize (corn) to approximately 17 million acres across the eastern and southern Africa regions, offering nearly seven million farm families (35+ million people) greater food security as we combat climate change. U.S. farmers, ranchers, and consumers also benefit from these investments, enabling them to improve production, stay ahead of new pests, and be ready for changing climatic conditions. U.S. research initiatives have also advanced vaccines for livestock, limited invasive pests and diseases of crops, and other solutions to address global food-security challenges.

The research strategy will underpin the United States Government Global Food Security Strategy (2022-2026), which makes clear that sustainable agricultural productivity growth is most effective in achieving the concurrent goals of reducing extreme poverty and hunger, while helping to lift the real incomes of the poor, and making diets nutritious and affordable for all.

“Investment in, and support for, agricultural research and development is imperative so that the world’s farmers have access to innovations that enhance productivity and efficiency, build resilience and prosperity, while adapting to challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic, water insecurity, the climate crisis, and conflict,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

USAID Administrator Samantha Power said, Climate change shows no signs of slowing. Neither does hunger. This Strategy confronts these dual, interlinked threats with one of our most powerful weapons: research and innovation.”

USDA and USAID also jointly led the whole-of-government effort to develop the Global Food Security Research Strategy. The extensive consultations with development partners, scientific societies, universities, federal research agencies, and researchers on the ground around the world helped to identify where science and research data can best advance the goals of a broader food-security strategy. The new research strategy focuses on three areas where science and innovation are essential to progress:

• Climate-smart agricultural innovations
• Improved nutrition through high-quality, affordable diets, and
• Genetic improvement of resilient crops and livestock