The US Department of Agriculture and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) announced on Thursday their plans to distribute US commodities valued at $1 billion to nations grappling with escalating hunger rates.
Among the recipients of this aid are countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo, Yemen, South Sudan, Sudan, and Haiti, identified by the United Nations World Food Programme as some of the hardest hit by hunger.
The global hunger crisis is deepening, with the number of individuals facing moderate to severe hunger worldwide surging to 745 million in 2023 compared to 2015, posing significant challenges to achieving the Sustainable Development Goal of eradicating hunger by 2030, as per the United Nations.
Attributing the spread of hunger to conflicts, climate change, and the protracted recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, the UN underscores the urgency of addressing these underlying issues affecting the world's poorest populations.
The highest rates of hunger escalation are observed in sub-Saharan Africa. The US Department of Agriculture highlights that the commodities sourced from the US for distribution include grains and legumes.
Procuring these commodities for distribution falls under the purview of the US Department of Agriculture, with distribution managed by USAID.
The US itself contends with elevated hunger rates post-pandemic, as evidenced by the Department of Agriculture's expenditure of about $2.3 billion in 2022 for food procurement destined for schools and food banks.
In a press release, US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack emphasized the readiness of the US agricultural sector to provide crucial food assistance amid dire global needs.
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