,,ii #aadth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #abeb ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,may #g1 #bjae,mr4 ,casey 7for himself and ,mr4 ,isakson7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations ,a ,,bill ,to authorize a comprehensive strategic approach for ,united ,states foreign assistance to developing countries to reduce global poverty and hunger1 achieve food and nutrition security1 promote inclusive1 sustainable1 agricultural-led economic growth1 improve nutritional outcomes1 especially for women and children1 build resilience among vulnerable populations1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,global ,food ,security ,act of #bjae4 #b4 ,findings ,congress makes the following findings3 7#a7 ,according to the ,food and ,agriculture ,organization of the ,united ,nations 7referred to in this section as the ,,fao71 #hje1jjj1jjj people worldwide suffer from chronic hunger4 ,hunger and malnutrition rob people of health and productive lives and stunt the mental and physical development of future generations4 7#b7 ,according to the ,january #bjad ,worldwide ,threat ,assessment of the ,,us ,intelligence ,community-- 7,a7 the lack of adequate food will be a destabilizing factor in countries important to ,,us national security that do not have the financial or technical abilities to solve their internal food security problems2 and 7,b7 food and nutrition insecurity in weakly governed countries might also provide opportunities for insurgent groups to capitalize on poor conditions1 exploit international food aid1 and discredit governments for their inability to address basic needs4 7#c7 ,decades of research have shown that there are multiple underlying causes of food insecurity and poor nutrition1 including-- 7,a7 the lack of availability of1 access to1 and consumption of nutritious food2 7,b7 limited investments to improve agricultural productivity2 7,c7 social and gender inequality2 7,d7 insufficient value chains and market development for farmers1 including small-scale producers1 which lead to post-harvest loss2 and 7,e7 weak institutions in government and civil society4 7#d7 ,agriculture1 which comprises large portions of the total labor force in many developing countries1 is an essential component of inclusive economic growth4 ,according to the ,world ,bank's #bjjh ,world ,development ,report1 growth in the agricultural sector has been twice as effective in reducing poverty as growth in other sectors4 7#e7 ,women1 who are often heads of households and small farmers1 are especially vulnerable to food insecurity4 ,women frequently face stricter constraints than men in accessing markets and resources4 ,in its #bjaj-bjaa report1 the ,,fao estimated that if women farmers had the same access to inputs as men1 they could increase their farm yields by #bj to #cj percent4 ,according to the ,,fao1 this could raise total agricultural output in developing countries by #b4e-d percent4 7#f7 ,according to ,,unicef-- 7,a7 more than #afa1jjj1jjj children younger than #e years of age suffer from chronic malnutrition 7also referred to as stunting72 and 7,b7 #a in #c women in the developing world are anemic1 which leads to severe health and developmental consequences4 7#g7 ,according to the ,united ,nations ,world ,food ,programme1 poor nutrition causes #de percent of deaths in children younger than #e years of age4 7#h7 ,malnutrition can-- 7,a7 undermine future earning potential by up to #bj percent2 and 7,b7 inhibit economic growth by up to #c percent of gross domestic product4 7#i7 ,according to ,the ,cost of ,hunger in ,africa ,study by the ,african ,union ,commission-- 7,a7 the economic costs associated with child undernutrition are substantial1 ranging from #b percent to #af percent of the gross national product in several ,african nations2 and 7,b7 adults who suffer from stunting as children are less productive than nonstunted workers and are less able to contribute to the economy4 7#aj7 ,according to ,save the ,children's #bjac ,food for ,thought report1 if the current malnutrition rates continue1 global output could be reduced by an estimated #abe1jjj1jjj1jjj by #bjcj1 as the young children of today reach working age4 7#aa7 ,a comprehensive approach to sustainable food and nutrition security should not only respond to emergency food shortages1 but should also address malnutrition1 resilience to food and nutrition insecurity1 building the capacity of poor1 rural populations to improve their agricultural productivity1 and incomes1 removing institutional impediments to agricultural development1 value chain access and efficiency1 including processing and storage1 enhancing agribusiness development1 access to markets and activities that address the specific needs and barriers facing women and small-scale producers1 education1 and collaborative research4 7#ab7 ,an effective1 sustainable approach to combating food insecurity requires consultation with1 and participation from1 multiple stakeholders1 including government1 the private sector1 international organizations1 international and local nongovernmental stakeholders1 grassroots and civil society organizations1 faith-based organizations1 and higher education research institutions4 7#ac7 ,nongovernmental organizations1 faith-based organizations1 community-based organizations1 private voluntary organizations1 academic institutions1 and cooperatives can increase the effectiveness of public investments by building local capacity1 strengthening food and nutrition security and resilience1 and leveraging additional resources4 7#ad7 ,the ,united ,states has provided consistent global leadership in addressing food security and investing in agricultural development and humanitarian assistance4 ,in #bjaj1 the ,united ,states ,government launched ,feed the ,future 7referred to in this paragraph as ,,ftf71 an initiative designed to expand and better coordinate the ,united ,states investments in improving global food security4 ,,ftf is a whole-of-government approach that works across agricultural value chains and focuses on the dual objectives of improving farmer productivity1 income1 and livelihoods in developing countries and improving the nutrition of women and children4 7#ae7 ,the ,united ,states ,government spearheaded the creation of the ,global ,agriculture and ,food ,security ,program 7referred to in this paragraph as the ,,gafsp71 which mobilizes contributions from a wide range of international donors to support the goals of ,,ftf4 ,as of #bjad1 the ,,gafsp had received pledges totaling #a1cjj1jjj1jjj from #aj donors and reached an estimated #ab1jjj1jjj direct beneficiaries in #be countries4 #c4 ,policy objectives2 sense of ,congress 7a7 ,statement of policy objectives ,it is in the national security interest of the ,united ,states to promote global food and nutrition security1 consistent with national agriculture investment plans1 which is reinforced through programs1 activities1 and initiatives that-- 7#a7 eradicate hunger and malnutrition1 especially for women and children2 7#b7 assist foreign countries to achieve long-term1 sustainable1 and inclusive agricultural development by emphasizing-- 7,a7 increased productivity1 resiliency1 local management capacity1 income1 and growth2 7,b7 reduction in poverty and long-term vulnerability to food and nutrition insecurity2 and 7,c7 improved skills building and market linkages for producers1 especially for women and small-scale producers1 who face specific constraints in accessing markets1 networks1 and resources2 and 7#c7 ensure the effective use of ,united ,states taxpayer dollars to further these objectives4 7b7 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that the ,president1 or a designee of the ,president1 in providing assistance under this ,act1 should-- 7#a7 coordinate1 through a whole-of-government approach1 the efforts of relevant ,federal departments and agencies to develop and implement the strategy set forth in section #e7;a72 7#b7 utilize1 to the maximum extent possible1 open and streamlined solicitations1 grants1 and cooperative agreements to allow for the participation of a wide range of implementing partners2 and 7#c7 strengthen and expand partnerships between developing country institutions of agricultural sciences with universities in the ,united ,states1 with a focus on building the agricultural capacities of universities in developing nations4 #d4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,appropriate congressional committees ,the term appropriate congressional committees means-- 7,a7 the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations of the ,senate2 7,b7 the ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry of the ,senate2 7,c7 the ,committee on ,appropriations of the ,senate2 7,d7 the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs of the ,house of ,representatives2 7,e7 the ,committee on ,agriculture of the ,house of ,representatives2 and 7,f7 the ,committee on ,appropriations of the ,house of ,representatives4 7#b7 ,feed the future innovation labs ,the term ,feed the ,future ,innovation ,labs means research partnerships led by ,united ,states universities that advance solutions to reduce global hunger1 poverty1 and malnutrition4 7#c7 ,feed the future strategy ,the term ,feed the ,future ,strategy means the strategy developed and implemented pursuant to section #e7;a74 7#d7 ,food and nutrition security ,the term food and nutrition security means access to1 and availability1 utilization1 and stability of1 sufficient food to meet caloric and nutritional needs for an active and healthy life4 7#e7 ,malnutrition ,the term malnutrition means poor nutritional status caused by nutritional deficiency or excess4 7#f7 ,resilience ,the term resilience means the ability of people1 households1 communities1 countries1 and systems to mitigate1 adapt to1 and recover from shocks and stresses in a manner that reduces chronic vulnerability and facilitates inclusive growth4 7#g7 ,small-scale producer ,the term small-scale producer means farmers1 pastoralists1 and fishers that have a low asset base and limited resources1 including land1 capital1 skills and labor1 and1 in the case of farmers1 typically farm on fewer than #e hectares of land4 7#h7 ,stunting ,the term stunting refers to a condition that-- 7,a7 is measured by a height-to-age ratio that is more than #b standard deviations below the median for the population2 7,b7 manifests in children who are younger than #b years of age2 7,c7 is a process that can continue in children after they reach #b years of age1 resulting in an individual being stunted2 7,d7 is a sign of chronic malnutrition2 and 7,e7 can lead to long-term poor health1 delayed motor development1 impaired cognitive function1 and decreased immunity4 7#i7 ,sustainable ,the term sustainable means the ability of a target country1 community1 implementing partner1 or intended beneficiary to maintain the programs authorized and the outcomes achieved pursuant to this ,act over time4 7#aj7 ,target country ,the term target country means a developing country that is selected to participate in agriculture and nutrition security programs under the ,feed the ,future ,strategy4 #e4 ,comprehensive food security strategy 7a7 ,feed the future strategy 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,president1 or a designee of the ,president1 shall coordinate the development and implementation of a ,united ,states whole-of-government strategy to accomplish the policy objectives set forth in section #c7;a71 which shall-- 7,a7 support and be aligned with country-owned agriculture1 nutrition1 and food security policy and investment plans developed with input from relevant governmental and nongovernmental sectors within target countries and regional bodies1 including-- 7i7 representatives of the private sector2 7ii7 agricultural producers1 including women and small-scale producers2 7iii7 international and local civil society organizations2 7iv7 faith-based organizations2 and 7v7 research and academic institutions2 7,b7 support inclusive1 sustainable agricultural value chain development1 with small-scale producers1 especially women1 gaining greater access to the inputs1 skills1 networking1 resource management capacity1 bargaining power1 financing1 and market linkages needed to sustain their long-term economic prosperity2 7,c7 support the improvement of the nutritional status of women and children1 especially during the critical #a1jjj-;day window starting at the beginning of a woman's pregnancy and ending #b years after her child's birth1 with a focus on reducing child stunting2 7,d7 urge target countries and communities to respect and promote the land tenure rights of local communities1 particularly those of women and small-scale producers2 7,e7 support the long-term success of programs by building the capacity of local organizations and institutions2 7,f7 integrate resilience and nutrition strategies into food security programs1 such that chronically vulnerable populations are better able to build safety nets1 secure livelihoods1 access markets1 manage resources1 and access opportunities for longer-term economic growth2 7,g7 develop community and producer resilience to natural disasters1 emergencies1 and natural occurrences that adversely impact productivity and livelihoods2 7,h7 harness science1 technology1 and innovation1 including the research conducted at ,feed the ,future ,innovation ,labs1 or any successor entities1 throughout the ,united ,states2 7,i7 leverage resources and expertise through partnerships with the private sector1 farm organizations1 cooperatives1 civil society1 research entities1 and academic institutions2 7,j7 support collaboration between ,united ,states universities and public and private institutions in developing countries to promote agricultural development and innovation2 7,k7 set clear and transparent selection criteria for target countries1 regions1 and intended beneficiaries of assistance provided under this ,act2 7,l7 set specific and measurable goals1 benchmarks1 timetables1 performance metrics1 and monitoring and evaluation plans that reflect international best practices relating to transparency1 accountability1 food and nutrition security1 and agriculture-led economic growth1 consistent with the policy objectives described in the ,feed the ,future ,strategy2 and 7,m7 include criteria and methodology for graduating countries from ,united ,states assistance provided under this ,act once the countries have achieved certain benchmarks4 7#b7 ,governing law ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 in carrying out the purposes of this ,act1 assistance may be provided to the ,department of ,state and the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development pursuant to sections #ajc and #ajc;,a1 title ,,xii of chapter #b of part ,i1 and chapter #d of part ,,ii of the ,foreign ,assistance ,act of #aifa 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #baea;a1 #baea;a-#a1 #bbbj;a et seq41 and #bcdf et seq474 7b7 ,feed the future coordination ,the ,president1 or a designee of the ,president1 shall coordinate1 through a whole-of-government approach1 the efforts of relevant ,federal departments and agencies in implementing the ,feed the ,future ,strategy by-- 7#a7 establishing policy coherence1 monitoring and evaluation systems1 and coordination across all relevant ,federal departments and agencies2 7#b7 aligning linkages with other initiatives and strategies of the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development1 the ,department of ,agriculture1 the ,department of ,state1 the ,millennium ,challenge ,corporation1 the ,overseas ,private ,investment ,corporation1 the ,peace ,corps1 the ,united ,states ,trade ,representative1 the ,united ,states ,africa ,development ,foundation1 the ,department of ,commerce1 the ,department of the ,treasury1 and the ,united ,states ,geological ,survey2 7#c7 establishing platforms for regular consultation and collaboration with key stakeholders1 including-- 7,a7 national and local governments2 7,b7 multilateral institutions2 7,c7 private voluntary organizations2 7,d7 cooperatives2 7,e7 the private sector2 7,f7 local nongovernmental and civil society organizations2 7,g7 faith-based organizations2 7,h7 research and academic institutions2 7,i7 congressional committees2 and 7,j7 other stakeholders1 as appropriate2 7#d7 leveraging the expertise of the ,department of ,agriculture in agricultural development1 nutrition1 trade1 research1 and education2 and 7#e7 establishing and leading regular public consultations in target countries4 #f4 ,reporting 7a7 ,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 #bjbj1 the ,president1 or a designee of the ,president1 shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees that describes the status of the implementation of the ,feed the ,future ,strategy4 7b7 ,content ,the report required under subsection 7a7 shall-- 7#a7 contain an appendix of the ,feed the ,future ,strategy2 7#b7 identify any substantial changes made in the ,feed the ,future ,strategy during the preceding calendar year2 7#c7 identify the indicators that will be used to measure results1 set benchmarks for progress over time1 and establish mechanisms for reporting results in an open and transparent manner2 7#d7 describe the progress made in implementing the ,feed the ,future ,strategy2 7#e7 assess the progress and results of implementing international food and nutrition security programming on the policy objectives set forth in section #c7;a72 7#f7 indicate how findings from monitoring and evaluation were incorporated into program design and budget decisions2 7#g7 contain a transparent1 open1 and detailed accounting of spending under this ,act by all relevant ,federal agencies1 including a disaggregated accounting of assistance provided through different procurement mechanisms2 7#h7 identify any ,united ,states legal or regulatory impediments that could obstruct the effective implementation of the programming referred to in paragraph 7#e72 7#i7 describe how the ,feed the ,future ,strategy relates to other ,united ,states food security and development assistance programs on the continuum from emergency food aid through sustainable1 agriculture-led economic growth2 7#aj7 contain a clear gender analysis of programming that includes established disaggregated gender indicators to better analyze outcomes for food productivity1 income growth1 control of assets1 equity in access to inputs1 jobs and markets1 and nutrition2 7#aa7 describe the methodology and criteria for the selection of target countries2 7#ab7 describe related strategies and benchmarks for graduating target countries and communities from assistance provided under the ,feed the ,future ,strategy over time1 including by building resilience1 reducing risk1 and enhancing the sustainability of outcomes from ,united ,states investments in agriculture and nutrition security2 7#ac7 assess efforts to coordinate ,united ,states international food security and nutrition programs1 activities1 and initiatives with-- 7,a7 other bilateral donors2 7,b7 international and multilateral organizations2 7,c7 international financial institutions2 7,d7 target country governments2 7,e7 international and local private voluntary1 nongovernmental1 and civil society organizations2 7,f7 research and academic institutions2 and 7,g7 other stakeholders2 7#ad7 assess the status of institutional capacity building efforts1 including higher education2 7#ae7 assess ,united ,states ,government-facilitated private investment in related sectors in target countries and communities2 7#af7 assess the impact of private sector investment on-- 7,a7 the economic opportunities available to small-scale producers1 especially women2 7,b7 improving international food and nutrition security2 7,c7 local land tenure issues2 and 7,d7 enhancing inclusive1 sustainable agricultural development2 7#ag7 be prepared in consultation with relevant ,united ,states ,government agencies2 and 7#ah7 incorporate a plan for regularly reviewing and updating strategies1 partnerships1 and programs and sharing lessons learned with a wide range of stakeholders in an open and transparent manner4 7c7 ,public availability of information ,the information referred to in subsection 7b7 shall be made publicly accessible in an electronic format and in a timely manner4 7d7 ,government ,accountability ,office report ,during the #a-year period ending on ,december #ca1 #bjai1 the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united ,states shall publish a report that-- 7#a7 summarizes the progress of the strategy described in section #e7;a72 7#b7 assesses the whole-of-government coordination described in section #e7;b72 7#c7 assesses the mechanisms through which ,united ,states assistance authorized under this ,act is provided1 including a list of the major recipients of ,united ,states contracts1 grants1 and cooperative agreements2 7#d7 includes a review of evaluations conducted on assistance provided under this ,act2 and 7#e7 assesses the budget decisionmaking process1 including the role of monitoring and evaluation in program design4 #g4 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary of ,state and the ,administrator of the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development to carry out this ,act1 for each of the fiscal years #bjae through #bjbj1 an amount equal to the amount of funds made available for food security and agricultural development programs for fiscal year #bjad under section #gjfj7;d7 of the ,department of ,state1 ,foreign ,operations1 and ,related ,programs ,appropriations ,act1 #bjad 7division ,k of ,public ,law #aac-gf2 #abh ,stat4 #eed74