December 27, 2004

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  December 22, 2004

  
  

  U.S. Cutting Food Aid Aimed at Self-Sufficiency

  
  

  By ELIZABETH BECKER
  

  
  

  WASHINGTON, Dec. 21 - The Bush administration has reduced its contributions to global food aid programs aimed at helping millions of people climb out of poverty.

  
  

  It has told representatives of several charities that it was unable to honor some earlier promises and would have money to pay for food only in emergency crises. The cutbacks come at a time when the number of hungry in the world is rising for the first time in years and all food programs are being stretched.

  
  

  Save the Children, Catholic Relief Services and other charities have suspended or eliminated programs that were intended to help the poor feed themselves through improvements in farming, education and health.

  
  

  

  
  

  "We had approval for all of these programs, often a year in advance. We hired staff, signed agreements with governments and with local partners, and now we have had to delay everything," said Lisa Kuennen, a food aid expert at Catholic Relief Services.

  
  

  Officials say the food aid budget for the fiscal year that began Oct. 1 was at least $600 million less than what charities and aid agencies would need to carry out current programs.

  
  

  Ellen Levinson, head of the Food Aid Coalition, said the best estimate for the amount of food that was not delivered in November and December was "at least $100 million."

  
  

  
  

  One administration official involved in food aid voiced concern that putting such a high priority on emergency help might be short-sighted. The best way to avoid future famines is to help poor countries become self-sufficient with cash and food aid now, said the official, who asked not to be identified

  
  

  From mezamashii

  
  

   

  • 8:16 pm
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