Devex: We can prevent another food price crisis
Josh Lozman, deputy director of program advocacy at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

“…This year, African leaders have recommitted to investing in agriculture at their annual leaders’ summit, but there is currently a significant financing gap toward these plans. The support of programs like [the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program] to complement countries’ domestic resources remains critical to prevent a future global food crisis. The U.S. government is one of the donors that has stepped up to the plate. … Reducing funding for agriculture now could have a dramatic impact on farmers … by limiting their ability to improve the fertility of their soil, boost their yields and earn an income. The repercussions globally are even more staggering — the neglect of agriculture has been blamed by some for the recent food crisis and ongoing epidemic of chronic hunger. It is in our hands to prevent another food price crisis…” (7/10).