Oxfam America praised the Feed the Future program for showcasing what effective aid programs can accomplish and urged Members of Congress to continue its funding.
In a new research report released today, “Promise and Potential: Delivering Inclusive, Sustainable Development for Small-Scale Food Producers through the Feed the Future Initiative,” Oxfam America examined the lasting and positive impacts it has had in the fight against global hunger. The research, which was funded by the Gates Foundation, looks at Feed the Future activities in six countries - Ethiopia, Ghana, Guatemala, Haiti, Tanzania, and Senegal - and focuses on key themes related to inclusiveness, empowerment, aid effectiveness, and sustainability
“Feed the Future has brought agriculture back to the center of the US development agenda after a dramatic drought of investment in support of small-scale producers,” said Raymond C. Offenheiser, president of Oxfam America. “Nearly five years later, it has been credited with reaching millions of farmers, improving agricultural technologies, and providing crucial nutrition assistance to millions of infants and young children.”
Oxfam’s report points to important improvements in the way the US government, especially the US Agency for International Development (USAID), delivers assistance. Feed the Future has made significant efforts to incorporate and adhere to principles of aid effectives and integrate key issues such as women’s empowerment and natural resource management.
“In our research, we sought to find out if these improvements led to sustainable results that benefit those who most need assistance,” continued Offenheiser. “What we found is significant results in terms of sustainable production, especially in the case of farmers trained in improved farming practices. The challenge now is to spread the technologies to many more small-scale producers and to target the poor more precisely.”
USAID’s ambitious agenda remains a work in progress. Continued efforts are needed to refine and strengthen Feed the Future to ensure current US investments contribute to long-term improvements in food security, especially for small-scale producers who are often left behind. This should include efforts to link small-scale farmers to appropriate services, including credit to make on-farm investments, as well as focusing on providing women farmers with appropriate support.
“We know that sustainable improvements in food security cannot be achieved in a season or two, they require sustained commitments by governments – donor and recipient alike –along with strategies that build the capacity of institutions and empower individuals to take control of decisions that affect their lives, said Offenheiser. “Most importantly, the US Congress must not walk away from the promise and potential of the Feed the Future program.”
