The Global Food Security Act of 2009, S. 384, will authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2010 through 2014 to provide assistance to foreign countries to promote food security, to stimulate rural economies and to improve emergency response to food crises.
The bill states that the objective of U.S. policy is to promote global food security, improve agricultural productivity and support the development of institutions of higher learning. In order to uphold these goals, the Global Food Security Act of 2009 directs the president to assign a Special Coordinator for Food Security to advise the president on global food security issues and to oversee implementation of a comprehensive food security strategy. The president would be required to report on the strategy implementation to specific congressional committees each year.
Other sections of the bill amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 expanding the scope of assistance to include conservation farming, nutrition for vulnerable populations and economic integration of persons in extreme poverty. In addition, the bill includes biotechnological advances appropriate to local ecological conditions under agricultural research.
In order to improve emergency response to food crises, the Global Food Security Act of 2009 establishes a United States Emergency Rapid Response to Food Crisis Fund and authorizes the president to provide assistance under this act for unexpected critical food assistance needs.
-- Jaimie Hwang
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