Effective foreign assistance is a critical U.S. response to the global hunger crisis. It requires clear objectives, country ownership, flexibility, long-term commitments, and adequate and reliable resources.
Higher agricultural productivity is necessary to reduce hunger, especially with spiking food prices. But in recent decades, both rich and poor countries have diverted resources from supporting agriculture.
Many countries are making extraordinary progress on the MDGs. But common barriers in fragile nations include poor starting conditions, weak governance and institutions, conflict, and environmental degradation.
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are an unprecedented effort by the global community to better the lives of hungry people. Taken together, the eight MDGs are a comprehensive vision of human development.