Explanation of Position by John F. Sammis, Deputy Representative to ECOSOC, on the Second Committee Resolution A/C.2/66/L.68 "Agriculture development and food security,"

John F. Sammis
United States  Deputy Representative to ECOSOC 
U.S. Mission to the United Nations 

New York, NY

December 2, 2011

AS DELIVERED

Thank you, Mr. Chair.  The United States is pleased to be able to join consensus on this resolution on the Agricultural Development and Food Security.

Improving global food security is a key foreign policy objective of the Obama Administration.  The U.S. government has launched the Feed the Future initiative, and pledged at least $3.5 billion over three years to help our partner countries improve the entire agriculture value chain - from fields to markets to homes.  And that is the central pillar of our commitment to sustainable solutions to hunger.

However, this resolution like several others in the Second Committee this year contains language on a continuing global food crisis that we consider inaccurate.  Whereas we agree that we are experiencing regional crises, particularly in the Horn of Africa, and we are experiencing a period of food and commodity price volatility in some parts of the world, we, along with many other members of the world community, do not believe we are currently in a global food crisis. This has been reinforced by such UN bodies as the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), which have issued warnings about high food prices and price volatility but have made clear that the current situation does not constitute a global food crisis.  Furthermore, while the resolution identifies a number of factors that contribute to food insecurity, it unfortunately omits the very significant and undisputed role of conflict and lack of effective governance in causing regional food insecurity.

Thank You.

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