Obama announces global food initiative
President Barack Obama speaks at the Symposium on Global Agriculture and Food Security at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, Friday, May 18, 2012, at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington.
/ AP Photo/Pablo Martinez MonsivaisMr. Obama, in remarks kicking off this weekend's G-8 summit, called on G-8 partners to reaffirm their commitments to anti-poverty measures and outlined a plan aimed at increasing investments in African agriculture, developing agricultural innovations, and reducing risks among vulnerable communities.
"The government cannot and should not do this alone. This has to be all hands on deck," Mr. Obama said of the goal to reduce global poverty.
"Reducing malnutrition and hunger around the world advances international peace and security," the president said.
The initiative, called the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition, aims to build on a 2009 food security effort that resulted in $22 billion worth of pledges, and stresses the need for a shared commitment among African nations, private sector partners, and members of the G-8.
"As the wealthiest nation on earth, I believe the United States has a moral obligation to lead the fight against hunger and malnutrition," said Mr. Obama.
"We have a self-interest in this," he added. "It's a moral imperative, it's an economic imperative, and it's a security imperative."
According to Mr. Obama, about 45 private sector companies from around the world have pledged to invest more than $3 billion cumulatively to kick off the effort.
Mr. Obama outlined the initiative's goals to support innovation in the global agricultural research system, fast-track new agricultural projects, and speed up the development and delivery of innovation. It will also promote risk management to help communities avoid catastrophe in the face of instability.
"Communities can't go back just to the way things were - vulnerable as before, waiting for the next crisis to happen," Mr. Obama said. "A change in prices or a single bad season should not plunge a family, community or a region into crisis."
The administration stresses that the plan would not eliminate foreign aid but rather aim to boost its impact.
"It's not about replacing aid; it's about combining aid with private capital, tools to scale innovation and strategies for managing risk," said Mike Froman, Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economic Affairs, in a conference call on Thursday.
Mr. Obama on Thursday acknowledged the challenges ahead, but emphasized that "we are already making progress in this area."
"We can do this. We're already doing it. We just need to bring it all together," he said. "We can unleash the change that reduces hunger and malnutrition. We can spark the kind of economic growth that lifts people and nations out of poverty. This is the new commitment that we're making."
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2. "Less population" - only those who say it don't get to die off, yes? (How long before 6.999999999 billion miracles all scream that in your ear?)
3. I don't mind helping people in good faith, but corporate giveaways don't help people. Not many people and hardly in good faith...
They took toxic seeds into Haiti and left them unguarded from animals and humans, in violation of UN rules. The UN also took troops in from countries more violent than Haiti, and some of those troops brought cholera.
Sometimes a nicely wrapped gift is not the beauty it pretends to be.
Charity is a Wonderful GIFT, when it is given from the heart.
Not when it is stole from one and given by the thief, like the great Lord.
I am old enough to remember when the United States sent tons of Seeds to grow crops, what we did not send were the workers to plant and tend and harvest the crops for them.
From the tons of seeds for planting most were cooked, others rotted.
I hate to say it some people want the food put on the table for them.
But, to be concise, others' fears that all of this is nothing more than a giveaway to ag corporation (e.g. Monsanto) aren't entirely unwarranted.
There are many facets to this issue...
On the other hand, the republicans want to drug test the least among us and those that lost their job due to GOP policies before they can get their food stamp.
The question is who among this shows a Christlike spirit?
Obama, who says I care about your dignity, or the GOP who presume the less fortunate to be a criminalS, drug addicts before they will consider giving them food stamp. If christ come today, he will be ashame of the GOP, and what they stand for.
When the Government does it, It is called SOCIALISM.................
*zing*
Especially when government gives handouts and bailouts ("charity") to corporations all the time.
Will the catholic church stand up with the same energy to support this policy that emphasize the greatest commandment. As someone who was confirmed and baptised in the catholic church- this is a greater expression of my faith than the rediculous so call war on religion that some so opposed, even when it gave exception to religious body. Great job Mr. President.
Maybe we can stop handing it out to corporations that pocket it as 'profit' while offshoring jobs, which in turn helped create the revenue problem because less jobs = less revenue via taxation...
Ask these guys:
http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/Rick_Santorum.htm#Corporations
http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/mitch_mcconnell.htm#Corporations
http://www.ontheissues.org/john_mccain.htm#Corporations
http://www.issues2000.org/senate/Judd_Gregg.htm#Corporations
http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/jim_demint.htm#Corporations
http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/Orrin_Hatch.htm#Corporations
"Voted NO on repealing tax subsidy for companies which move US jobs offshore. (Mar 2005)"
While some Democrats voted 'no' to repeal (Obama voted 'yes' to repeal), note McConnell's name and then note this article:
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2011/04/14/158424/republican-leaders-debt-limit-hypocrisy/
(those mentioned within make interesting cases for not raising the debt ceiling now when they freely did so last decade. After all, "deficits don't matter"... http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/joe_conason/2009/03/27/deficits )
Granted, with all the ones with big "for sale" signs on them because everybody moved out or had to over time thanks to the economic devastation that the so-called "globalization" has imposed so far... (and for all the claims of those developing countries being helped, the suicide rates, complaints of worker abuse, etc, don't lead many to think it's been oh-so-wonderful after all... and while the US calls them "multinational companies", do they call themselves "American companies" overseas as they claim to represent us? Like:
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/04/13/general-motors-ceo-urged-to-address-indian-workers-complaints/
But I digress.
The whole issue is a tad complex, even convoluted, but I can't be as callous as you.
But he wants to worry about other countries? LET THEM FEED THEMSELVES OR STARVE. It's not our place to focus on or worry about other countries. Especially countries that have an abundance of coal/diamonds/gold/oil and still somehow can't pull themselves out of poverty. Idiots..
Could this man for once focus on our problems at home? We are already the largest aid donor in the world. Does he realize how many AMERICANS are on food stamps, or are going hungry???? DOES HE CARE???
Real globalization would not be MIGRATION of jobs and opportunities that allow people to prosper, eat, et cetera.
Plenty of people, on both sides of the political aisle, seem to be questioning this latest state of affairs.
Have you held of auto bail out that bailed out- as you republican use to say(no more) "government motors", I mean GM?
Have you held of financial reform? I can go on and on.
The truth shall set you free also apply to the republicans. Try telling the truth for once.
Is the Food Stamp President going to put these African nations on Food Stamps as well?
The guy can't even take care of the poor at home yet he is supposedly going to feed the world.
Fake Messiah Barry better know how to miraculously multipy some fish and loaves of bread.
Your partisanship is showing. Let's look at the WHOLE issue and debate that instead.
He's providing food aid with large support from private companies people. Try having a little perspective. It's more than just a bleeding heart idea, it will most likely create goodwill towards the US.
SOME goodwill will be created.
But it won't change the minds of some countries... especially those that have already been treated to "American companies' goodwill" in the first place.
Like you said, let's all try to find some perspective. The truth is more likely going to be found somewhere approaching the middle...