U.S., donor partners hold dialogue with PHL government to strengthen food security

On October 21, the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines partnered with the Philippine government to convene a meeting with donor agencies and international partners to discuss food security challenges and explore opportunities to better coordinate efforts to stabilize the country’s food supply and improve food production.

Officials from the Philippines’ Department of Agriculture, National Economic and Development Authority, and Department of Foreign Affairs joined representatives from the country’s leading agricultural research organizations and development partners such as the Asian Development Bank, the UN World Food Programme, and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization to discuss ways to create alignment between development activities and government priorities.

Participants also exchanged ideas about ways to consolidate efforts and strengthen like-minded partnerships to help boost the country’s food security.

External shocks that include commodity price inflation, fertilizer shortages resulting from Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, climate change-induced disasters, and the COVID-19 pandemic threaten food security in the Philippines.

The meeting signaled the beginning of engagement among donor agencies, the diplomatic community, and the Philippine government to address food insecurity in line with the priorities outlined by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The Philippine government also echoed the need for a mechanism to coordinate efforts by government and development partners.

During the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in September, U.S. President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. announced over $2.9 billion in new worldwide food security assistance from the U.S. government, including $2.14 billion in new USAID commitments, to address the immediate and long-term effects of the global food security crisis affecting nutrition needs of millions of people around the world.