7/28/2019 NGO Statement of Principles for Reforming Food
Assistance Programs 4-9-13
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NGO Statement of Principles for Reforming Food Assistance
Programs
Hunger is one of the great global challenges of our time: one in
every seven people around theworld deals with chronic hunger, and
roughly 100 million people endure severe hunger criseseach year. US
food assistance programs, particularly those under Title II of the
Food for Peace
Act, have served as a foundation of global efforts to confront
this challenge: both through
emergency programs that keep people alive, and through
developmental food assistanceprograms that address underlying
sources of chronic hunger and malnutrition. While the USremains the
largest donor of global food assistance, there have been major
declines in thereach of US food assistance over the past decade and
a sharp net drop of well over a half billiondollars in Food for
Peace programs since 2009.
Against this backdrop, it is more important than ever that US
food assistance programsmaximize their reach and effectiveness.
President Obama has put forth a reform proposal in hisFY14 Budget
Request. The undersigned organizations recognize the difficult task
of gettingboth the policy and the politics of reform right. We have
therefore come together to support thefollowing set of principles
that should guide any reform effort:
Principle #1: Reforms should protect the core focus and
effective elements of existingfood assistance programs. US food
assistance programs are unique in their focus on hungerand
malnutrition among the poorest and most vulnerable populations.
Emergency programsrespond to urgent needs while developmental
programs strengthen the resiliency of peoplefacing chronic food
insecurity, and employ a community-based multi-sector approach
thataddresses agricultural productivity, nutrition, and
livelihoods. These programs provide a stablemulti-year commitment
of support that is critical to achieving lasting results. Reforms
should notalter or undermine these important elements of the
current system.
Principle #2: Reforms should increase the number of people
helped. In 2012, US foodassistance reached 46 million people. Yet
since 2000 the amount of US food assistance hasdeclined by more
than half, primarily due to decreases in funding and higher
commodity,
transportation, and distribution costs. Reforms should seek to
offset this decline by increasingthe number of people served in
both emergency and developmental food assistance programs,and
should not be used simply to justify funding cuts. Every effort
should be made to reinvestsavings achieved through reform into both
programs.
Principle #3: Reforms should increase the flexibility of food
assistance programs. Allowingsignificantly more flexible use of
tools such as cash transfers, food vouchers, and local and
regionalprocurement, alongside provision of US commodities and
direct program funding, would provide avariety of program and
resource options to help ensure the most appropriate response in
eachcontext. Such flexibility would improve program efficiency and
impact and increase the number ofpeople reached.
Principle #4: Reforms to food assistance programs should be made
in an open,transparent and inclusive process. As both implementers
and advocates, the non-profit andcivil society communities are
major partners and supporters of food assistance programs. Webring
important perspectives on how to maximize program effectiveness and
reach, as well aswide grassroots networks that provide public
support for these programs. Civil societyengagement is crucial to
the effectiveness and political viability of the reform process and
to thefuture success of these programs in meeting the needs of poor
people.
7/28/2019 NGO Statement of Principles for Reforming Food
Assistance Programs 4-9-13
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We look forward to working with the Administration, Congress,
and other stakeholders to putthese principles into action.
Contributors
CARE USACatholic Relief Services
InterActionMercy Corps
Save the ChildrenWorld Vision
Endorsers
Alliance for Global Food SecurityConcern Worldwide US
Helen Keller International
International Relief & DevelopmentInternational Rescue
Committee
Land OLakes International DevelopmentLutheran World Relief
Mercy-USA for Aid and DevelopmentPartners for Development
Relief InternationalWorld Food Program USA
World Renew
