During the G8 meeting in Italy, Prime Minister Harper announced that Canada will more than double its investment in global food security, providing an additional $600 million (Canadian) over the next three years. This is part of  a collective G8 effort, which is expected to mobilize $20 billion (US) for agriculture and food security over the same time period.

The Canadian Foodgrains Bank welcomes this announcement and is pleased to see that food security is not being ignored as countries struggle to deal with the finance crisis. We have long advocated for increased investment in agriculture, as a means of improving the livelihoods of the poorest people in the world.

The Prime Minister’s announcement puts a dollar figure on CIDA’s new food security theme, which was announced  by CIDA minister Bev Oda in May. The specifics of this theme have not been made public yet. The Canadian Foodgrains Bank, together with other Canadian NGOs, continues to dialogue with CIDA on defining the theme.

 

Thank you to Foodgrains Bank supporters for your efforts to raise this issue with your Members of Parliament. Your letters, postcards and phone calls have made a difference, and Canada is now committed to playing a bigger role in improving food security around the world.

 

Click here for the Prime Minister’s July 9 press release on food security.