Feed the Future

Peace Corps Volunteers around the world support food security by ensuring sustainable, climate smart agriculture and natural resources management, productive and resilient livelihoods, and improved health and nutrition, particularly for mothers and children.

Overview

President Obama signed the Global Food Security Act (S.1252) into law in July 2016, and Congress passed it with broad bipartisan support.

The law reinforces the U.S. government’s commitment and successful approach to increasing food security and nutrition through the Feed the Future initiative.

As one of 12 U.S. government agencies that comprise Feed the Future, the Peace Corps has been actively involved in implementing the U.S. government’s 2022-2026 Global Food Security Strategy [PDF].

Video: Peace Corps Volunteers support “climate smart” agricultural production

The four pillars of food security

Food security is defined as all people, at all times, having physical and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences to support an active and healthy life.

There are four pillars to food security: availability, accessibility, utilization, and stability. Below are a few examples of how Peace Corps Volunteers work across sectors to strengthen each of these pillars.

Availability

In Senegal, Volunteers are working to increase the availability of food by conducting trainings on drought-resistant millet and sorghum, fruit tree production, and biointensive gardening.

Accessibility

In Cameroon, Volunteers work with female farmers to generate additional income from their agricultural activities. Volunteers support the women to grow and market their products, keep records, reinvest profits into their business, and plan for the future, which results in greater access to nutritious food for their families and the community.

Utilization

In Mozambique, Volunteers are working alongside local leaders to address malnutrition and improve hygiene and sanitation in vulnerable communities, especially among children and people living with HIV/AIDS, to ensure that these individuals better utilize available food nutrients.

Stability

Volunteers in Nepal conduct trainings for smallholder farmers on production of fruit and nut trees and high value crops such as turmeric and mushrooms. These are crops that can be harvested during different seasons to provide steady income and ensure food security for families throughout the year.