June 21, 2023
Global Food Security: Selected Multilateral Efforts
Members of the 118th Congress may consider the role of
also funds related activities that support food security
multilateral institutions and initiatives in addressing global
initiatives such as agricultural productivity and nutrition.
food insecurity. The United States, the largest government
donor of global food assistance, participates in and funds
Selected U.N. System Efforts
many of these entities. Some of the organizations—which
U.N. Food Agencies. The United Nations system plays a
may share similar and/or overlapping mandates—date to
significant role in responding to food insecurity. The United
the founding of the United Nations (U.N.) in 1945. Others
States is the top financial contributor to several key U.N.
have emerged within the past two decades in response to
food agencies. The World Food Program is the largest
specific events or crises. When considering U.S.
global humanitarian agency, operating in over 120
participation in these entities, Congress may examine the
countries. It provides emergency and development food
effectiveness of U.S. and global food security coordination;
assistance, mainly in conflict and natural disaster situations.
the role of multilateral versus bilateral activities;
WFP is funded through voluntary contributions; its
Administration actions in multilateral fora; and U.S.
estimated budget for calendar year 2023 is $19.7 billion.
funding priorities.
U.S. funding for WFP in FY2022 totaled $5.6 billion.
Background and Context
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a U.N.
Global Food Security Crisis. A number of factors—
specialized agency comprising 194 member states that aims
human-induced and natural—have led to global food
to improve food quality and combat hunger in over 130
insecurity. Such dynamics, which are often interrelated,
countries. Although it often works with WFP, FAO
include conflict and forced displacement; natural disasters
typically focuses on longer-term activities; for example, it
and effects of climate change; economic downturns; and
provides technical expertise on agricultural sustainability
ongoing repercussions of public health events like the
and market access. FAO is funded through assessed
COVID-19 pandemic. The Russia-Ukraine conflict has
(required) dues and voluntary contributions. For 2022-23,
further exacerbated global food insecurity, resulting in
its biennium budget was $3.25 billion, of which the United
higher food prices; food, fuel, and fertilizer shortages; and
States is assessed 22% ($110.6 million in FY2023). U.S.
supply-chain delays. In 2023, the World Food Program
voluntary funding in FY2022 was $189.7 million.
(WFP) estimates that 349 million people worldwide are
experiencing acute food insecurity.
The International Fund for Agricultural Development
(IFAD) is an international financial institution and U.N.
specialized agency that promotes rural economic growth in
The 1996 Rome Declaration on World Food Security
developing countries, in part by aiming to increase the
describes “food security” as “when all people, at all
productivity of smallholder farmers and the rural poor while
times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe
reducing hunger and malnutrition. It is funded through
and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food
voluntary contributions from governments and other
preferences for an active and healthy life.”
donors, investment income, and loan reflows. In 2022,
IFAD’s total project portfolio was $8.13 billion. U.S.

funding to IFAD in FY2022 was $43 million.
U.S. Global Food Security Assistance. U.S. food security
programs address a broad range of circumstances, from
Other Selected U.N. Activities. The United Nations has
acute food and malnutrition needs in conflict or natural
also addressed food security and global hunger through
disaster settings to protracted global hunger and poverty.
high-level global meetings that include governments, U.N.
The State Department’s Office of Global Food Security
entities, and civil society. The first meeting to address
develops overall U.S. policy and coordinates interagency
global food crises was the World Food Conference held in
activities across the executive branch. The U.S. Agency for
1974 in in Rome, Italy. Most recently, a U.N. Food Systems
International Development (USAID) and U.S. Department
Summit was held as part of a U.N. General Assembly
of Agriculture are the primary U.S. agencies that administer
session in 2021. Several international agreements also
international food assistance and security programs in both
address food assistance and security. In 2013, 16 countries,
emergency and development contexts. U.S. programs are
including the United States, adopted the Food Assistance
implemented through a range of partners, including other
Convention, a framework to help ensure food assistance
governments, non-governmental organizations, and
commitments and coordination. In addition, U.N.
multilateral entities, among others. U.S. food assistance
Sustainable Development Goal-2, adopted by 192 countries
includes in-kind U.S.-sourced commodities such as wheat
in 2015, calls on governments to “end hunger, achieve food
or corn (which are often subject to U.S. cargo preference
security, improve nutrition, and support sustainable
requirements), locally and regionally procured foods, food
agriculture.”
vouchers, and cash transfers for food. The United States
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Global Food Security: Selected Multilateral Efforts
Given the scope of these and other U.N. system efforts,
multiplicity of [food security] initiatives. We need to make
U.N. members have established several coordinating
sure that they are acting, working together, that all of this is
mechanisms. For example, in 1974, the U.N. General
coherent and all of this is coordinated.” Relatedly, some
Assembly created the Committee on World Food Security
experts contend that collective global action is important to
to help ensure and coordinate global standards on food
address ongoing food crises and maintain that existing food
security and nutrition. The Global Food Security Cluster,
security initiatives can complement or build on each other.
established in 2011, co-led by FAO and WFP, aims to
In the U.S. context, Members of Congress may consider
coordinate U.N. humanitarian food security responses.
how, if at all, any newly established mechanisms may align
More recently, in March 2022, the U.N. Secretary-General
with existing U.S. policy priorities, funding, and activities.
established the Global Crisis Response Group to address the
interrelated crises among food, energy, and finance as a
Multilateral vs. Bilateral Efforts. Members may consider
result of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
the benefits and drawbacks of multilateral efforts to address
food insecurity. Some experts contend bilateral efforts may
Other Global Initiatives and Tools
allow for closer alignment with U.S. policy priorities and
Selected Initiatives. A range of complementary (and at
more direct oversight, compared to multilateral activities.
times overlapping) global mechanisms and commitments
Supporters of multilateral cooperation note the convening
exist. Some include or work with U.N. entities, while others
power of the United Nations and other international
operate separately:
organizations and the benefits of sharing the financial
•
burden among donors. Moreover, some maintain that
the Global Alliance for Food Security was established
multilateral coordination makes the provision of food
by the Group of 7 (G-7) Presidency and World Bank
assistance safer, more efficient, and cost effective,
Group to urgently respond to the surge in food prices
after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine
particularly where there are security and access challenges.
;

•
Administration Actions in and Coordination with U.N.
the Global Network against Food Crises was established
by the EU, FAO, and WFP at the 2016 World
Entities. Congress may monitor executive branch policies
and priorities in U.N. fora related to food security,
Humanitarian Summit to examine the root causes of
food crises and share analysis and knowledge; and
including U.S. participation in the governance structures of
FAO, WFP, IFAD and other U.N. bodies. More broadly, if
•
additional food security mechanisms are established,
the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program was
Members may consider how to effectively coordinate U.S.
established in 2010 by the Group of 20 (G-20) to
support country and regional agriculture and food
bilateral commitments with multilateral activities. Congress
security investment plans.
may also examine the effectiveness of vetting procedures
and monitoring mechanisms used for oversight of U.S.
The United States has led efforts to secure government
implementing partners, as well as the systems in place to
respond to aid diversion and other fraudulent activities
commitments on global food security. In May 2022, the
(such as recent allegations of the sort in Ethiopia).
United States presided over a U.N. Global Food Security
Ministerial Meeting at which over 100 countries agreed to a
“Roadmap
U.S. Funding. Members may consider how to most
for Global Food Security.” The United States
effectively track U.S. funding to U.N. food agencies and
has also endorsed and advocated on behalf of the
“Declaration of Leaders’ Summit on Global Food Security”
other multilateral activities, including how the executive
branch prioritizes and allocates food-related humanitarian
(September 2022) and the “Hiroshima Action Statement for
Resilient Global Food Security” (May 2023).
and development assistance from appropriations accounts
across U.S. agencies. For example, Congress does not
specifically appropriate funding to several multilateral
Selected Tools. Most multilateral entities rely on early
bodies (such as WFP). Instead, it appropriates lump-sum
warning and classification systems to respond to acute food
insecurity at the country, regional and global levels. These
amounts to multilateral or global humanitarian accounts,
leaving the executive branch to determine how funds are
include the Famine Early Warning Systems Network, which
allocated, often with little or no congressional consultation.
provides analysis of humanitarian crises and development
programs, and the Integrated Food Security Phase
Some observers express concern that Administrations may
not fund these entities (many of which directly or indirectly
Classification, which tracks trends and determines the
severity of food insecurity.
address food insecurity) as Congress intended. Some
suggest that Congress could legislate funding levels for
Congressional Considerations
specific multilateral entities. Others maintain that this
approach would deviate from long-standing (and largely
Global Coordination. As international efforts to address
global food insecurity have increased since 2022, some
bipartisan) practices that provide the executive branch with
flexibility to respond to unpredictable circumstances (such
experts and policymakers have expressed concern that the
as acute food insecurity) through the most efficient and
objectives and activities of new and existing food security
cost-effective multilateral or bilateral mechanisms.
efforts may overlap, create redundancies and fragmentation,
or lead to funding gaps. Accordingly, some have advocated
the importance of coordination. Speaking at the Global
Luisa Blanchfield, Specialist in International Relations
Food Security Summit in September 2022, U.S. Secretary
Rhoda Margesson, Specialist in International
of State Antony Blinken said: “It’s true there are a
Humanitarian Policy
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Global Food Security: Selected Multilateral Efforts

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