Lugar Food Security Report

Senator Lugar, Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, directed staff to assess the causes and consequences of food insecurity in several countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America, and to investigate how best to alleviate it.

Read the report: Global Food Insecurity: Perspectives from the Field .

As Senator Lugar wrote in the introductory letter:

"The consequences of hunger are profound. Quality of life for affected families deteriorates as access to food decreases, affecting their productivity, and ultimately the economic growth of nations. Hungry children are unable to learn, and hungry adults are not productive. Hungry people are desperate people, and their hunger can breed instability as evidenced by riots in some 19 countries during the Spring and Summer of 2008. It is both a moral and a security imperative for the United States and other wealthy nations to address the root causes of hunger...

"There is little reason for anyone to be hungry in a world in which we have the knowledge and resources to ensure that everyone has access to a nutritious range of food. Just as technological advances of the Green Revolution spurred large parts of Asia to increase farm yield, so too can technology help to increase agricultural productivity in response to growing populations. However, today’s challenges are more than increasing the availability of food. Those living in poverty need enough income to ensure access to a varied diet necessary for a productive life. Food insecurity is a problem of both availability and access, and both aspects must be addressed if we are to overcome hunger."