Strategic dialogue between FAO leadership and US government officials yields agreement on the vital role of agricultural interventions in humanitarian crises
Washington, DC – Deputy Director General Beth Bechdol and Director of the Office of Emergencies and Resilience Rein Paulsen of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) were in Washington, DC during the week of May 29 for strategic meetings with high-level officials across the U.S. government. FAO Representative in Afghanistan Richard Trenchard joined DDG Bechdol and Director Paulsen for meetings with White House National Security Council members, USAID Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) leaders and Members of Congress.
These meetings with U.S. government officials come at a critical moment. At the beginning of 2023, according to the most recent Global Food Crises Report, a quarter of a billion people were living with acute food insecurity. Conflicts, national and global economic shocks, and weather extremes have become increasingly intertwined, leading to a worsening of food insecurity and malnutrition. Should an El Niño event materialize in the second half of 2023, there would be huge negative impacts worldwide, including dry spells during critical agricultural seasons in Southern Africa, West Africa, and Central America’s Dry Corridor, and flooding in the Horn of Africa.
Those most in need of humanitarian assistance predominantly rely on agriculture for their survival. Of the persons suffering from food insecurity, nearly three quarters of them are farmers. As a result, livelihood support and resilience-building interventions provide the most effective defense against hunger and malnutrition. Evidence from FAO’s work in hunger hotspots like Afghanistan and Somalia demonstrates that time-sensitive agricultural interventions, when combined with cash and food assistance, have enormous impacts on food availability, nutrition and displacement. Furthermore, investing in agriculture during emergencies can maximize the impact of assistance outlays, extending support to the largest beneficiary caseload, while over time reducing financial and humanitarian needs, and costs.
On June 1, Bechdol, Paulsen and Trenchard participated in a full day of meetings comprised of strategic dialogue and technical briefings with their counterparts at USAID BHA. The goal of the day was to share objectives, priorities and investments in agricultural humanitarian interventions in 2023 and beyond to support continued cooperation between USAID and FAO. Both entities concluded that investments in agriculture, when scaled-up, can reach more food insecure people in a more cost-effective, dignified manner. Specific attention was given to the climate crisis with discussion of reducing risks, curbing the impact of climate change and building resilience in agrifood systems.
Leading the USAID BHA delegation was Marcia Wong, Deputy Assistant to the Administrator. Also participating were Mike DeSisti, Director, Office of Global Policy, Partnerships, Programs and Communications; Cara Christie, Deputy Director, Office of Global Policy, Partnerships, Programs and Communications; and Asa Piyaka, Division Chief, Humanitarian Multilateral Division. The BHA regional directors, including Jeff Bryan, Allison Lapp and Sheri Cahill, discussed FAO’s agricultural humanitarian programs in Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Haiti, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Yemen and the Dry Corridor. Other senior BHA officials included Alisha English, Team Leader; Michelle Snow, Humanitarian Advisor; and Wilton Pichardo, Humanitarian Officer.
Under the leadership of DDG Beth Bechdol, FAO was represented by Rein Paulsen, Director, Office of Emergencies and Resilience; Angela Hinrichs, Donor Relations Officer; Johanna Erhardt, Head of Strategy and Resource Mobilization; Richard Trenchard, Director, FAO Afghanistan Country Office; Rodrigue Vinet, Country Support Team Leader. Present from the North America Liaison Office were Director Jocelyn Brown-Hall, Senior Liaison Officer Thomas Pesek, Senior Liaison Officer and Partnerships Officer Alexandria Richter.
DDG Bechdol commented, “FAO values the unwavering partnership we have with the U.S. Government and especially with USAID in our shared efforts to address and ultimately reduce humanitarian needs. Investing in agriculture is central to our work and to a transformed approach to today’s humanitarian response – it is a cost-effective, strategic and a long-lasting solution”.
Rein Paulsen remarked, “As crises multiply and the cost-of-living crisis continues to reverberate, there is a better and more cost-effective way to simultaneously meet -– and reduce -– urgent needs. FAO greatly appreciates the support of the U.S. in ensuring we can help people in crisis to meet their own needs, based on their priorities, even in the midst of conflict and disaster.”
During the week, Bechdol, Paulsen and Trenchard also met with the White House National Security Council’s Paula Tufro, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Development, Global Health, and Humanitarian Response along with Daniel Dieckhaus, Director for Humanitarian Assistance.
On Capitol Hill, productive discussions occurred with numerous Senators, including Senator John Boozman (R-AR), Ranking Member of the Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee and his committee member colleagues Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Cory Booker (D-NJ), who also serves on the Foreign Relations Committee). DDG Bechdol also met Foreign Relations Committee Senator Todd Young (R-ID). Finally, DDG Bechdol discussed science and innovation with Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS), who serves on the Appropriations Committee. These high-level discussions yielded insights on shared priorities on promoting agriculture in the humanitarian space, and advancing science, research and innovation in agriculture.
In 2022, the United States was the leading resource partner to FAO. With USD 448 million in contributions, an almost 200 percent increase versus 2021, the United States of America provided the highest-ever annual voluntary contribution to FAO.
Additional information
Importance of investing in agriculture in emergency contexts (fao.org)
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