,i #aacth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #bhbb ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,july #be1 #bjac ,ms4 ,mc,collum 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,mc,govern1 ,mr4 ,schock1 ,mr4 ,clay1 ,mr4 ,rangel1 ,ms4 ,moore1 ,ms4 ,schakowsky1 ,mr4 ,rush1 ,mr4 ,garamendi1 ,mr4 ,honda1 ,mr4 ,moran1 ,mr4 ,polis1 ,mr4 ,kilmer1 and ,mr4 ,cohen7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to establish the ,united ,states comprehensive strategy for assistance to developing countries to achieve food and nutrition security1 increase sustainable and equitable agricultural development1 reduce hunger1 improve nutrition1 and develop rural infrastructure and stimulate rural economies1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title2 table of contents 7a7 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,global ,food ,security ,act of #bjac4 7b7 ,table of contents ,the table of contents for this ,act is as follows3 ,sec4 #a4 ,short title2 table of contents4 ,sec4 #b4 ,findings4 ,sec4 #c4 ,definitions4 ,title ,i--,policy objectives1 planning and coordination ,sec4 #aja4 ,statement of policy4 ,sec4 #ajb4 ,comprehensive global food security strategy4 ,sec4 #ajc4 ,reports4 ,title ,,ii--,bilateral programs ,sec4 #bja4 ,agriculture1 rural development1 and nutrition4 ,sec4 #bjb4 ,agricultural and nutrition research4 #b4 ,findings ,congress makes the following findings3 7#a7 ,food and nutrition security is a foundation of development4 ,persistent hunger and malnutrition stunt the mental and physical development of the next generation and hinder education1 health1 economics and security4 7#b7 ,more than #hgj1jjj1jjj people worldwide suffer from chronic food insecurity4 ,food insecurity and malnutrition in developing countries forces tens of millions of people into poverty1 contributes to political and social instability1 erodes economic growth1 and undermines ,united ,states foreign assistance investments in areas including basic education1 global health1 environmental protection1 and democratic institutions4 7#c7 ,according to the ,march #bjac ,worldwide ,threat ,assessment of the ,u4,s4 ,intelligence ,community1 food insecurity is a worldwide threat3 ,growing food insecurity in weakly governed countries could lead to political violence and provide opportunities for existing insurgent groups to capitalize on poor conditions1 exploit international food aid1 and discredit governments for their inability to address basic needs4 7#d7 ,in the next #cj years1 as the world's population increases to nine billion people1 agricultural productivity will need to double to keep pace with demand4 ,countries that are major agricultural exporters have greatly enhanced productivity over the past two decades1 but many developing countries with good potential to improve their agricultural economies have not4 ,improving agricultural productivity in those countries in a sustainable and equitable manner will increase world food supplies and accelerate economic growth and incomes1 while preserving natural habitat and resources4 7#e7 ,malnutrition remains one of the world's most pressing and costly problems--close to #bjj1jjj1jjj children are chronically malnourished4 ,undernutrition is responsible for #de percent of child deaths1 and eleven percent of the total global disease burden is attributable to maternal and child undernutrition4 ,according to the ,lancet more than #a in #d of the world's children is stunted4 ,stunting leads to serious1 often irreversible physical and cognitive damage4 7#f7 ,reducing maternal and child malnutrition1 especially during the #a1jjj days between pregnancy and age #b1 is critical to increasing child survival1 improving cognitive and physical development1 and strengthening the immune system to bolster resistance to disease4 7#g7 ,many pregnant women living in developing countries cannot access nutrition services until the fifth or sixth month of their pregnancies1 leading to children born small for their gestational age4 ,for this reason1 improving the nutritional status of women and adolescent girls before and during pregnancy is vitally important4 7#h7 ,the greatest potential for achieving increased food and nutrition security for people in rural areas and augmenting world food production at relatively low cost lies in increasing the agricultural capacity1 resilience1 sustainability and productivity of smallholder farmers4 ,farmers should be actively engaged at all stages of education1 participatory research and extension processes4 7#i7 ,the most promising and scalable gains in smallholder agriculture production will come from the delivery of seed1 fertilizer1 and basic farmer extension education on farming techniques1 such as row planting of crops4 7#aj7 ,according to the ,world ,bank1 growth in the agricultural sector has been twice as effective in reducing poverty as growth in other sectors4 ,in sub-,saharan ,africa agriculture contributes about #ce percent of the total gross national product 7,,gnp74 ,approximately #ge percent of the workforce in sub-,saharan ,africa is engaged in the agricultural sector and three out of five of those suffering from hunger are rural1 small-scale agriculturists4 ,thus1 nutrition1 agriculture and rural development strategies must include engagement of and provision of assistance to smallholder producers4 ,interventions to enhance agricultural productivity1 conserve natural resources1 and provide linkages to services1 inputs1 financing and markets for smallholder agricultural producers is an effective means of increasing and diversifying food supplies1 improving incomes and preserving natural habitat4 7#aa7 ,agriculture development to increase the yield1 biodiversity and resilience of smallholder farmers is an efficient engine of sustainable economic growth1 and benefits these farmers' education1 income1 and health4 7#ab7 ,agriculture is essential for economic growth1 comprising large portions of the total labor force in many developing countries4 ,the agricultural sector is as high as #gj to #hj percent in sub-,saharan ,africa1 where nearly one-half of the world's food insecure live4 ,in this region agriculture also contributes about #ce percent of the total gross national product 7,,gnp74 7#ac7 ,post-harvest losses can waste #dj percent of agriculture products and negatively impact nutritional content of crops4 ,a renewed focus on reducing post-harvest losses is needed to meet the goal of increasing income generation from agricultural production4 7#ad7 ,women produce as much as #hj percent of food in sub-,saharan ,africa1 but have access to less than #aj percent of land1 credit1 and extension services4 ,women comprise #dc percent of the agricultural labor workforce in developing countries4 ,they make up a large proportion of smallholder farmers1 including #hj percent in ,east ,asia and sub-,saharan ,africa1 and face unique challenges and heightened vulnerability to food and nutrition insecurity4 ,increasing women's leadership1 incomes1 and access to food benefits the entire household as women are more likely to share these resources with family members4 7#ae7 ,the ,international ,food ,policy ,research ,institute 7,,ifpri7 and others have documented growing numbers of acquisitions and lease agreements of millions of acres of land in ,africa1 ,latin ,america1 and ,central and ,southeast ,asia by private investors and foreign governments4 ,these land acquisitions may threaten global food and nutrition security and agricultural development1 increase political unrest1 and deepen local poverty in developing nations unless adequate legal and procedural mechanisms are in place and functioning to protect the rights and welfare of people who depend on agriculture for their livelihood4 7#af7 ,the accelerating loss and degradation of natural ecosystems in developing countries and changing long-term weather patterns undermine and impact efforts to improve sustainable agricultural production4 ,according to the ,world ,bank1 changing weather patterns could reduce yields in some developing countries by as much as #ej percent4 ,this could leave millions more children undernourished4 7#ag7 ,a comprehensive approach to long-term food security and agricultural development should encompass improvements in agricultural education1 agricultural productivity1 agricultural extension1 nutrition1 household incomes1 rural infrastructure1 finance and markets1 safety net programs1 job creation1 research and technology1 emergency relief1 global health and the environment4 #c4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,administrator ,the term ,administrator means the ,administrator of the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development4 7#b7 ,agricultural development ,the term agricultural development means methods to use agriculture as a basis for food and nutrition security1 family livelihood1 and economic growth by increasing the productivity of those involved in the cultivation of food1 fuel1 and fiber1 conserving the environment and natural resources1 and improving the economic livelihoods of those involved1 including farmers1 fishers1 foresters1 and pastoralists1 particularly those that operate on a small scale1 and linking them and their products to markets1 including post-harvest activities such as storage1 processing1 transport1 and improving market efficiency4 7#c7 ,appropriate congressional committees ,the term appropriate congressional committees means-- 7,a7 the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations and the ,committee on ,appropriations of the ,senate2 and 7,b7 the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs and the ,committee on ,appropriations of the ,house of ,representatives4 7#d7 ,chronic food insecurity ,the term chronic food insecurity means ongoing and persistent lack of access to sufficient food to meet dietary needs for an active and healthy life4 7#e7 ,ecosystem services ,the term ecosystem services means natural goods1 services1 and processes that the environment provides and on which people depend and from which they benefit1 such as pollination1 water cycles and regulation1 pest control1 and soil formation4 7#f7 ,extreme poverty ,the term extreme poverty means income of less than one-half of the poverty level as defined by the ,international ,bank for ,reconstruction and ,development for the relevant year4 7#g7 ,food security ,the term food security means the condition of having1 at all times1 access to nutritious1 affordable1 sufficient1 and safe food to maintain a healthy and active life4 7#h7 ,malnutrition ,the term malnutrition means poor nutritional status caused by nutritional deficiency or excess4 7#i7 ,resilience ,the term resilience means the ability of people1 households1 communities1 countries and systems to mitigate1 adapt to1 recover from1 and withstand events that result in social disruption and economic hardship4 7#aj7 ,rural infrastructure ,the term rural infrastructure-- 7,a7 means public and private facilities and services necessary for agricultural production and other activities in non-urban 7rural7 areas2 and 7,b7 includes roads or other means of transportation1 water supplies including irrigation1 rural electrification1 communication technology1 financial services1 storage1 warehousing1 and processing facilities needed for increasing agricultural production and linking producers to markets1 including policies and regulations of such sectors in addition to physical infrastructure4 7#aa7 ,smallholder ,the term smallholder refers to farmers with a low asset base1 limited resources including land1 capital1 skills and labor1 and farming less than #e hectares of land4 7#ab7 ,strategy ,the term strategy means the ,united ,states ,comprehensive ,global ,food ,security strategy outlined in section #ajb4 7#ac7 ,stunted2 stunting ,the terms stunted and stunting mean a condition-- 7,a7 of being too short for one's age1 with a height-to-age ratio that is more than #b standard deviations below the median for the population2 7,b7 caused by poor diet and frequent infections1 occurring before age #b1 and is a sign of chronic malnutrition2 and 7,c7 leading to long-term poor health1 delayed motor development1 and impaired cognitive function and decreased immunity4 7#ad7 ,undernutrtiton ,the term undernutrition-- 7,a7 means several outcomes of insufficient food intake1 such as being underweight for one's age1 too short for one's age 7stunted71 dangerously thin for one's height 7wasted71 or deficient in vitamins and minerals 7micronutrient malnutrition72 and 7,b7 can be identified by anthropometric indices 7underweight1 stunting1 and wasting7 or by the missing micronutrients in poor-quality diets4 7#ae7 ,voluntary guidelines ,the term ,voluntary ,guidelines means the ,voluntary ,guidelines on ,responsible ,governance of ,tenure of ,land1 ,fisheries and ,forests in the ,context of ,national ,food ,security1 adopted with the leadership of the ,united ,states throughout the negotiation process1 in ,may #bjab at the ,special #chth ,session of the ,united ,nations ,committee on ,global ,food ,security4 ,the objective of the ,voluntary ,guidelines is to improve food security through land governance for the benefit of all1 with an emphasis on vulnerable and marginalized people4 7#af7 ,wasting ,the term wasting1 with respect to an individual1 means the condition of weighing too little for such individual's height4 ,wasting indicates both long- and short-term nutritional deprivation4 ,wasting is a traumatic process of substantial weight loss that is usually associated with starvation or serious disease4 ,wasting is calculated by comparing a child's weight-for-height with those of a reference population of well-nourished and healthy children4 ,because wasting is strongly related to mortality1 wasting rates are often used to indicate the severity of hunger emergencies4 ,i ,policy objectives1 planning and coordination #aja4 ,statement of policy ,it is the policy of the ,united ,states to assist foreign countries in achieving food and nutrition security by increasing sustainable and equitable agricultural production1 improving nutrition1 and strengthening agricultural value chains1 with a focus on smallholder farmers1 in order to reduce global hunger1 malnutrition and poverty1 promote rural development1 and improve the nutritional status of all people4 #ajb4 ,comprehensive global food security strategy 7a7 ,special coordinator ,the ,president shall designate an individual to serve in the ,executive ,office of the ,president as the ,special ,coordinator for ,food1 ,nutrition and ,agricultural ,development4 ,the coordinator shall-- 7#a7 advise the ,president on global food security1 nutrition security1 and agricultural development2 7#b7 take such actions as are necessary to ensure the coordination of programs of the ,united ,states related to global food security1 nutrition security1 and agricultural development efforts1 including those resulting from contributions to multilateral organizations and nongovernmental organizations2 7#c7 make recommendations regarding the staffing needs and necessary qualifications and expertise of staff needed to swiftly and effectively carry out the strategy described in subsection 7c72 7#d7 establish a mechanism for regular consultation with representatives of ,federal departments and agencies1 multilateral institutions1 private voluntary organizations1 cooperatives1 the private sector1 and other nongovernmental organizations to develop the strategy described in subsection 7c7 and to consult on methodologies1 conditions in targeted countries1 progress towards goals and other relevant information about needs and interventions2 and 7#e7 oversee the development and implementation of the strategy described in subsection 7c74 7b7 ,implementation ,the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development shall be the lead agency in implementing the strategy described in subsection 7c74 7c7 ,content of strategy ,the strategy described in this subsection is a comprehensive food security1 nutrition security1 and agricultural development strategy that shall-- 7#a7 recognize food security and nutrition as essential contributors to global development1 health1 peace and stability2 7#b7 reflect a whole-of-government approach that incorporates and encompasses the programs of relevant ,federal departments and agencies that engage in some aspect of food security1 nutrition security1 agricultural development1 and international health1 including the ,department of ,state1 the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development1 the ,peace ,corps1 the ,department of ,agriculture1 the ,department of ,defense1 the ,department of ,interior1 the ,millennium ,challenge ,corporation1 the ,department of the ,treasury1 and the ,office of the ,united ,states ,trade ,representative2 7#c7 integrate and coordinate the stages of emergency food aid and long-term development programs to more effectively reduce hunger1 improve nutrition1 improve health1 and build economic capacity and resilience among food insecure populations1 especially for smallholder farmers2 7#d7 increase and improve agricultural production and availability1 access1 utilization1 and stability of food among women and smallholder farmers in order to decrease poverty and hunger1 improve health1 and prevent stunting1 as the most direct means for achieving household food and nutrition security2 7#e7 increase the yield and capacity of smallholder farmers1 through access to seed and fertilizer1 assistance for sustainable agricultural production1 village-level farming groups1 farmer-to-farmer knowledge exchanges1 agriculture value chains1 agricultural extension agents1 market access1 innovative intellectual property frameworks1 food safety nets for the most vulnerable1 agricultural education1 nutrition1 agricultural research1 natural resource management1 improvements to land tenure1 and rural infrastructure2 7#f7 assist smallholder farmers in obtaining the resources1 services1 tools1 and information they need including technology1 financial services1 seed varieties1 fertilizer1 risk management1 post-harvest storage systems1 water1 soil conservation methods1 ecologically appropriate nutrient1 soil1 water1 seed and pest management1 weather forecasting and projections in ways that assure gender equitable access2 7#g7 prioritize research efforts that respond to the needs and priorities of smallholder farmers1 including farmer-driven research1 recognize that research must include both international and localized agricultural research and extension programs1 and strive to build the educational capacity of smallholder farmers2 7#h7 incorporate research efforts to better understand causes of gender inequity in agriculture1 and expand research in best practices in achieving nutrition outcomes through agriculture1 social protection1 women's empowerment and other sector programs2 7#i7 build the resilience of smallholder farmers through agricultural extension services1 village-level farmer groups1 risk assessment and management tools1 such as micro-insurance1 and dissemination of research to farmers1 increase ability of smallholder farmers to access inputs1 technology1 and information1 to connect with markets1 to engage in local and national planning1 implementation1 monitoring and evaluation regarding food and nutrition and related issues1 to undertake new or diversified production while maintaining stable food supply1 to be resilient in the face of shocks and stresses1 and to respond to projected changes in weather patterns2 7#aj7 target investments in appropriate technologies and approaches to increase sustainable agricultural production1 improve post-harvest storage1 enhance family livelihood and nutrition1 stimulate broad-based economic growth1 and improve access to local1 regional1 and international markets2 7#aa7 target research1 development of new technologies1 extension agents1 and funding towards the goal of reducing post-harvest losses by #ej percent or more2 7#ab7 incorporate approaches directed at reducing hunger and malnutrition for people living in extreme poverty and those most vulnerable to malnutrition1 especially pregnant and lactating women1 children in their first #a1jjj days1 and children under age #e1 adolescent girls1 communities in hard to reach areas1 and marginalized populations1 including availability1 access1 nutritional education1 consumption and utilization of food1 and delivery platforms such as community health workers2 7#ac7 recognize international food assistance programs as important to improving maternal and child health through improved nutrition among the poorest and most vulnerable populations1 and focus on increasing their flexibility to increase program efficiency1 impact1 and the number of people reached2 7#ad7 address the nutritional needs of pregnant and lactating mothers1 children in their first #a1jjj days1 children who have not attained the age of #e1 and adolescent girls1 and recognize the importance of prioritizing interventions1 such as exclusive breast-feeding1 complementary feeding practices1 iron folate supplements1 ,vitamin ,a and zinc supplements1 good hygiene and other evidence-based interventions2 7#ae7 prioritize1 support1 and promote the central role of women in agricultural production and related activities1 including in household1 local1 and national decision-making processes1 in the countries of operation2 ensure programs and approaches address the special needs of women farmers1 women living in poverty1 and the needs of all people who are agriculturalists1 pastoralists1 or otherwise engaged in agriculture-related enterprises2 ensure use of gender analysis to enable identification of barriers and relevant interventions to address gender inequality2 7#af7 uphold and promote the principle of free1 prior1 and informed consent in relation to land access and use rights2 monitor and document the trend of large scale land acquisitions and lease agreements in developing countries2 promote global standards of transparency for large international land deals2 7#ag7 expand and prioritize ,united ,states assistance programs that strengthen land management in developing countries and actively support efforts to develop guidelines and support applications of land governance tools2 7#ah7 include and provide appropriate linkages with existing ,united ,states international water1 energy1 forest1 weather and biodiversity programs2 include assessment and monitoring of the effects of global changing weather patterns2 prioritize the enhancement of natural resources and ecosystem resilience and the reduction of negative environmental impacts from agricultural activities through sustainable natural resource management practices including building local capacity and transferring skills and knowledge2 7#ai7 ensure inclusion and consideration of assessments and projections of the impacts of changing weather patterns on program priorities1 objectives and beneficiaries2 promote inclusion of local knowledge and perceptions of local conditions2 prioritize the enhancement of human capacity to respond to increasing extreme weather events and current and projected changes in weather patterns2 7#bj7 prioritize the enhancement of natural resources and ecosystem goods and services and the reduction of negative environmental impacts from agricultural activities through sustainable natural resource management practices including building local capacity and transferring skills and knowledge2 7#ba7 support capacity building of national governments to administer safety net and social protection programs that connect1 integrate and expand existing programs to meet food and nutrition security objectives and target the chronically hungry and poor2 7#bb7 support national governments' efforts to strengthen the quality1 ambition1 and coverage of national nutrition plans1 through community health workers and other approaches2 7#bc7 include specific1 measurable metrics1 goals1 benchmarks1 time frames1 and a plan of action to achieve the objectives described in section #aja2 7#bd7 with respect to such metrics shall include annual evaluation of improved nutritional status of women and children1 prevalence of stunted children1 prevalence of wasted children1 prevalence of underweight women1 prevalence of anemia among women and children1 sustainable agricultural sector growth1 changes in agricultural sector ,,gdp1 changes in rural income levels1 changes in per capita expenditures in rural households1 knowledge of smallholder farmers regarding effective farming practices1 increased empowerment of women smallholder farmers1 and numbers of beneficiaries reached2 7#be7 provide for annual monitoring and evaluations of programs that shall include gender analysis and gender disaggregated data and address progress toward improvements in emergency assistance1 access to food1 availability of food1 nutritional value of food1 utilization of food1 agricultural development1 agricultural education1 and capacity to manage risk among food insecure populations2 7#bf7 include aggregated reporting of indicators such as increases in income1 poverty reduction1 agricultural productivity and child stunting in order to clearly show the total impact of the ,united ,states investment in changing lives2 7#bg7 include community-level capacity building1 agricultural extension services1 enhancements to agricultural infrastructure and productivity2 increased access to financial services and markets1 research and technology1 credit and markets1 availability and functioning of local institutions serving rural communities' needs1 such as farmer-owned cooperatives1 safety net programs1 job creation1 household incomes1 research and technology1 global health and the environment2 7#bh7 utilize the expertise of private voluntary organizations and cooperatives1 international organizations1 community-based organizations1 faith-based organizations1 and local administrators to improve the sustainability and productivity of agriculture1 increase access to markets1 enhance infrastructure1 promote economic opportunity1 address food and nutrition security and agricultural development needs at the household and community level1 and protect the natural resource base on which rural1 agricultural communities depend2 7#bi7 ensure ,united ,states investments in promoting food and nutrition security address key determinants of food insecurity1 particularly-- 7,a7 availability and access1 through investments in agricultural productivity1 value chains and market development1 and equitable distribution of and control over productive resources2 7,b7 utilization of food1 through a multifaceted approach to nutrition2 and 7,c7 stability1 through ensuring that effective mechanisms are in place to address chronic and cyclical food insecurity2 and 7#cj7 ensure and promote-- 7,a7 alignment with and support of the ,comprehensive ,africa ,agriculture ,development ,program and other recipient country and regional strategies for addressing sustainable agricultural development2 7,b7 coordination and integration of food and nutrition security programs between departments and agencies described in paragraph 7#b7 and between relevant bureaus within the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development1 including the ,bureau of ,food ,security1 the ,bureau of ,democracy1 ,conflict and ,humanitarian ,affairs1 the ,bureau of ,economic ,growth1 ,education and the ,environment1 and the ,bureau for ,global ,health2 7,c7 inclusion of the resources of both public1 private sector1 and local private sector providers of appropriate agriculture inputs1 processors1 and marketers1 including through the ,global ,development ,alliances of the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development and other measures2 7,d7 ensuring that private sector investments comply with the ,voluntary ,guidelines on ,responsible ,governance of ,tenure of ,land1 ,fisheries1 and ,forests in the ,context of ,national ,food ,security regarding large-scale transactions2 7,e7 consultation and coordination at national and local levels with local and international academic and research communities1 civil society1 representatives of small-scale food providers1 ,united ,states and international nongovernmental organizations1 cooperatives1 international organizations1 international financial institutions1 the governments of developing and developed countries1 and other program implementers2 7,f7 consultation with and engagement of local civil society1 local communities1 farmer groups and cooperatives1 and women's groups in inclusive planning processes as well as the implementation and monitoring and evaluation of programs2 and 7,g7 national government capacity to coordinate food and nutrition security planning and programs across all relevant ministries and levels of government1 including the ability to implement comprehensive plans and programs to scale up nutrition intervention and through linkages with complementary health1 water and sanitation systems4 #ajc4 ,reports 7a7 ,annual reports 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #a year after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 and not later than ,december #ca of each year thereafter through #bjai1 the ,president shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the implementation of the strategy described in section #ajb7;c7 and how it fulfills the policy objectives described in section #aja4 7#b7 ,content ,the report required under paragraph 7#a7 shall include-- 7,a7 a copy of the strategy and an indication of any changes made in the strategy during the preceding calendar year2 7,b7 an assessment of progress made during the preceding calendar year toward meeting the objectives described in section #aja and the specific goals1 benchmarks1 and time frames specified in the strategy described in section #ajb7;c72 7,c7 a description of ,united ,states ,government bilateral programs1 and investments in multilateral institutions1 contributing to the achievement of the objectives described in section #aja1 including the amounts expended on such programs during the preceding fiscal year2 7,d7 an assessment of ,united ,states efforts to encourage business and philanthropic participation in ,united ,states food and nutrition security and agricultural development programs1 and to coordinate1 harmonize1 and align such programs with similar efforts of international organizations1 international financial institutions1 the governments of developing and developed countries1 and ,united ,states and international nongovernmental organizations2 7,e7 an assessment of progress made and capacity gaps in implementing and institutionalizing a comprehensive approach to food and nutrition security1 including integration of cross-cutting issues such as gender1 environment1 and nutrition1 through coordinating and integrating global food and nutrition security and agricultural development research activities with other ,united ,states bilateral and multilateral development efforts in the areas of operation2 7,f7 an assessment of land tenure rights and land purchases within each country and their consistency with the ,voluntary ,guidelines on ,land ,tenure2 7,g7 a description of those countries with the greatest level of food insecurity1 stunting1 and malnutrition for the primary goal of increasing food and nutrition security2 and 7,h7 a transparent1 open1 and detailed budget of agriculture and food security spending and progress pertaining to the strategy described in section #ajb7;c74 7#c7 ,government accountability office report ,not later than #bgj days after the submission of each report under paragraph 7#a71 the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united ,states shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that contains-- 7,a7 a review of1 and comments addressing1 the report submitted under paragraph 7#a72 and 7,b7 recommendations relating to any additional actions the ,comptroller ,general believes are important to improve a global food security1 nutrition security1 and agricultural development strategy and its implementation4 7b7 ,five-,year program review 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #e years after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,president shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report containing-- 7,a7 an assessment of progress made during the preceding #d years toward meeting the objectives described in section #aja and the specific goals1 benchmarks1 and time frames specified in the strategy described in section #ajb7;c72 and 7,b7 an evaluation of the impact during the preceding #e years of ,united ,states food and nutrition security programs on food security1 agricultural development1 nutrition1 health1 stunting1 water and soil health1 biodiversity1 and economic growth in countries suffering from chronic food insecurity4 7#b7 ,basis for report ,the report required under paragraph 7#a7 shall be based on assessments and impact evaluations utilizing sound quantitative and qualitative methodologies and techniques used in the behavioral and social sciences1 and shall incorporate the views of smallholder farmers in the recipient countries4 7c7 ,availability to public ,each report required under this section shall also be made available to the public4 ,,ii ,bilateral programs #bja4 ,agriculture1 rural development1 and nutrition 7a7 ,authority ,section #ajc7;a77#a7 of the ,foreign ,assistance ,act of #aifa 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #baea;a7a77#a77 is amended-- 7#a7 in subparagraph 7,a71 by striking and malnutrition and inserting stunting1 and malnutrition2 7#b7 in subparagraph 7,b71 by striking 2 and and inserting a semicolon2 7#c7 in subparagraph 7,c71 by striking the period at the end and inserting 2 and2 and 7#d7 by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs3 7,d7 to improve nutrition of vulnerable populations1 such as children under the age of #e1 women of reproductive age1 pregnant or lactating women1 including through programs of nutrition and health improvement for mothers and children1 including but not limited to breastfeeding and all other optimal infant and young child feeding1 as well as food-based approaches such as diet diversification1 home gardening and nutritional education linked to agricultural extension2 7,e7 to expand the economic participation of women1 people living in extreme poverty and those who lack access to agriculturally productive land1 including but not limited to through development of rural infrastructure1 disaster risk reduction1 health and nutrition programs1 access to local and international markets1 and by integration of those living in extreme poverty into the economy2 7,f7 to improve smallholder farmers' agricultural productivity1 income1 education1 capacity1 and ability to manage risk including but not limited to through the expansion and improvement of agricultural and food enterprises1 access to seed1 fertilizer1 and extension agents1 farmer to farmer exchanges1 cooperatives and associations focused on increasing the productivity and incomes of these farmers through the transfer of skills and knowledge2 and through the enhancement of access to information1 resources1 tools1 equipment1 seeds1 technology1 and planning and decisionmaking processes2 7,g7 to support natural resource management1 conservation management1 sustainable water management and other sustainable agricultural techniques to build resilience to shocks and stresses1 adapt to changes in weather patterns1 and respond to projected changes in water shortages while protecting natural resources2 7,h7 to promote global standards of transparency for international land deals1 strengthen programs to provide land tenure to international smallholder farmers1 and actively support the principle of free1 prior and informed consent in relation to land rights and access2 and 7,i7 to use the best available metrics1 measurements1 and data analysis tools to monitor1 measure and evaluate effectiveness of such aid1 with reduction in stunting1 decrease in poverty1 and increase in smallholder farmers' agricultural production being key components of evaluating effectiveness4 4 7b7 ,priority and other requirements ,section #ajc of the ,foreign ,assistance ,act of #aifa 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #baea;a7 is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection3 7h7 ,priority and other requirements ,in providing assistance under this section1 the ,president shall meet the following priority and other requirements3 7#a7 ,assistance under this section shall be used primarily for activities that are specifically designed to meet the purposes described in subsection 7a77#a71 including such activities as-- 7,a7 expansion and improvement of agricultural and food enterprises1 cooperatives and associations that can increase the productivity and incomes of the poor in part through the transfer of skills and knowledge2 7,b7 linking farmers1 entrepreneurs1 enterprises and institutions in poor areas with regional and national businesses1 institutions and systems2 7,c7 providing access to markets1 inputs1 financing1 extension services1 and appropriate technologies for the rural poor2 7,d7 expansion of rural infrastructure and utilities such as farm-to-market roads1 water management systems1 land improvement1 storage facilities1 and energy1 specifically renewable energy whenever practicable2 7,e7 establishment of more equitable and more secure land tenure and resource rights arrangements2 and 7,f7 creation and strengthening of systems to provide other services and supplies needed by farmers1 such as extension1 research1 training1 financing1 fertilizer1 water1 forestry1 soil conservation1 and improved seed1 in ways which assure gender equitable access to such services and supplies by small farmers4 7#b7 ,in circumstances in which development of major infrastructure is necessary to achieve the purposes of subsection 7a71 assistance for those purposes may only be provided under this section in association with significant contributions from other countries working together in a multilateral framework4 ,infrastructure projects so assisted should be environmentally sensitive and complemented by other measures to ensure that the benefits of the infrastructure projects reach the poor4 7#c7 ,where appropriate to meet the purposes of subsection 7a71 assistance shall be provided under this section to maintain1 enhance and value ecosystem goods and services in developing countries4 ,such assistance shall include the protection of watersheds and soil1 sustainable agricultural1 forest1 fisheries1 and agro-forest management1 and the provision of alternative household fuels that reduce demand for and emissions from the combustion of local forest resources4 4 7c7 ,private voluntary organizations and cooperatives ,in providing assistance under section #ajc of the ,foreign ,assistance ,act of #aifa 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #baea;a7 for purposes described in subparagraphs 7,d7 through 7,i7 of section #ajc7;a77#a7 of such ,act1 as added by subsection 7a7 of this section1 the ,president shall enter into partnerships with and provide grants1 cooperative agreements1 and other assistance to private voluntary organizations and cooperatives to mobilize and assist low-income populations4 #bjb4 ,agricultural and nutrition research ,section #ajc;,a of the ,foreign ,assistance ,act of #aifa 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #baea;a-#a7 is amended in the first sentence-- 7#a7 by striking 1 and 7#c7 make and inserting 1 7#c7 make2 and 7#b7 by striking the period at the end and inserting 1 7#d7 include research1 including farmer-driven research1 on technological advances appropriate to local ecological condition1 culture1 and the desires1 needs1 and priorities of the local communities1 and 7#e7 include research on the effects and ways to address the effects of changing weather patterns on agriculture and nutrition and the measures or techniques necessary to enhance the capacity of local communities to adapt to observed or anticipated effects through conservation management and other techniques44