“Washington cannot allow food insecurity to exacerbate instability in already volatile regions. We are not doing all that must be done,” Catherine Bertini, a former executive director of the U.N. World Food Program, and Dan Glickman, a former agriculture secretary, write in Politico. Bertini and Glickman, who serve as co-chairs of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs’ Global Agricultural Development Initiative, outline issues the U.S. should address to improve global food security.

“We hope Congress recognizes that even amid the spending debate, Washington must remain committed to U.S. leadership on long-term food security. These investments will pay off significantly by reducing food shortages, mitigating the risk of conflict and instability that threatens U.S. national security and ensuring future economic growth at home and abroad,” they conclude (5/24).