Brittany LeJeune

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) currently runs the Food for Peace, Food for Progress and McGovern-Dole food programs under the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) to provide emergency food assistance to developing countries struggling with poverty and food insecurity. These programs are meant to move food commodities and provide financial assistance annually. 

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has estimated that there are 318 million people around the world that are living in conditions where food is not readily available or they cannot afford it. Climate events such as droughts or flooding cause farmers to lose their entire crops. Conflict leaves people struggling to find and keep food. World leaders are joining with non-government organizations in order to fix these problems.

Food for Peace

The Food for Peace program is buying products from American farmers in large quantities to export to developing countries that are facing severe food shortages. Staples such as grains and cereals are purchased in the U.S. and sent directly to countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Haiti, Kenya and Rwanda. These countries are depending on this food and the additional financial assistance to endure severe famine and acute food insecurity. 

In January 2026, the USDA entered into an agreement with the WFP that will allocate $432 million in food commodities to these seven countries. The USDA expects to send 215,000 tons of raw food products such as cornmeal, sorghum, wheat, peas and vegetable oil. The people living in places facing the challenges of food security count on the resources dispensed by the Food for Peace program. The objective is for these countries to expand and cultivate their own agriculture so that they can support themselves without foreign aid.

Food for Progress

The USDA is committed to awarding Food for Progress with $226 million in fiscal year 2026 to fund international agricultural development projects. These projects range from $28 to $35 million each and will last for the duration of five years. Food for Progress has given Bangladesh, Bolivia, Ecuador, Morocco, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand the opportunity to participate in the program. The food program gives farmers in the U.S. an opportunity to participate in foreign trade.

The Food for Progress program is focused on improving agriculture with development projects by introducing new farming methods and increasing the crop yields. This can lead to a better economy as farmers start to generate revenue and contribute products. In 2025, the Philippines’ agricultural production grew by 2.6% which ultimately benefitted the economy and far exceeded expectations of previous years. 

McGovern-Dole

The McGovern-Dole program primarily focuses on helping children, infants and pregnant women in countries such as Bolivia, Cambodia, Ecuador, Guinea, Honduras, Liberia and Timor-Leste that are living with acute food insecurity. McGovern-Dole makes sure these mothers and children have a meal. One goal of the program is to raise literacy scores and increase attendance in the schools. Much like the other two programs, the food is purchased from farmers in the U.S. and then sent to these seven countries. Many of the people in need of food in these countries are living in poverty making it hard to purchase food even if it is available. Cambodia and Bolivia are experiencing the “double burden,” which includes some children suffering from malnutrition and other people becoming obese as the countries undergo urbanization.

Resolutions

The WFP USA states six key components to move the world towards zero hunger. The need for peace in areas that are consumed by conflicts is absolutely vital for there to be growth or change there. The ability to adapt and combat climate events for farming is necessary to produce more food. There must be more attention focused on poverty and the use of social nets. New markets can allow people to sell products, learn about business, and gain new tools and equipment to help them. We need to manage the food we have in the world so we are not wasting it when others have gone days without food. Lastly, the children must be fed so that we reduce malnutrition that can hinder development and growth.   

The USDA FAS, American farmers and nongovernment officials are impacting the world through the Food for Peace, Food for Progress, and McGovern-Dole programs. The food and financial assistance given to these countries is absolutely necessary for people to have a meal to eat. Poverty is preventing people from buying and growing food. Some places are lacking food altogether and the food programs are there supporting those who are hungry. Every dollar, every farmer, and every dedicated individual working to solve the food insecurity problem truly matters.