USAID Announces $57.4 Million Commitment to Combat Global Hunger and Boost Climate-Smart Agriculture
At the 2024 World Food Prize Borlaug Dialogue, USAID revealed a $57.4 million commitment, in collaboration with Congress, to drive forward global food security initiatives and promote climate-smart agricultural solutions.
This strategic investment, aimed at combating global hunger, poverty, and undernutrition, allocates over $38 million to support Feed the Future, the U.S. government’s flagship global hunger initiative, through the Innovation Labs network.
The funding will advance technological developments by connecting expertise from leading U.S. universities and international research institutions to address urgent global challenges in agriculture.
Kansas State University will spearhead research through the Climate Resilient Sustainable Intensification Lab, creating and adapting technologies to boost agricultural productivity on limited land with minimal environmental impact.
At Washington State University, the Veterinary Vaccine Delivery Lab will drive the development of vaccines for livestock that require no cold storage, overcoming a critical barrier to food security in regions with limited infrastructure.
As part of the new investments, World Coffee Research will join Cornell University to enhance coffee varieties, while the University of Florida and the University of California, Davis collaborate on advancing chicken breeding for poultry disease resistance.
Ongoing projects at Cornell, Purdue, and Michigan State Universities will continue to focus on climate-resilient crops, food safety policies, and local food security frameworks, respectively.
Additional funds will accelerate efforts to develop disease-resistant wheat through a partnership with the USDA and CIMMYT, and contribute to the Global Crop Diversity Trust to expand access to climate-adapted crops and seeds. The funding will also support non-profit Akademiya2063 in driving agricultural policy reform across Africa.
The Feed the Future initiative, now over a decade old, has delivered substantial results in reducing hunger and poverty by 20-25% in focus areas. In 2023 alone, Feed the Future empowered 6.2 million producers with improved agricultural practices, resulting in expanded cropland management, increased financing, and record-breaking sales of $4.6 billion.
Building on its successes, Feed the Future will continue to work with partner countries, donors, and the private sector to accelerate agricultural transformation and sustainability worldwide.
