Bread for the World Urges Redoubling of Efforts to End Hunger in Africa

WASHINGTON, July 31, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As Africa's leaders gather for the historic U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit., Aug. 4-6,  Bread for the World urges the administration, Congress, and Africa's leaders to redouble their efforts to end hunger around the world.

"Progress in Africa shows that we can end extreme hunger and poverty worldwide in our time," said Rev. David Beckmann, president of Bread for the World. "We celebrate the impressive progress by African nations but much more needs to be done to end hunger in Africa and worldwide."

Over the last decade, 10 of the world's fastest-growing economies have been in Africa. But despite their impressive growth rates, hunger and poverty remain a big challenge. About 247 million of the world's 842 million hungry people live in Africa.

"We hope the summit will encourage Congress and the administration to move decisively on bills and programs that will help end hunger," said Rev. Beckmann.

THIS INCLUDES:
*S.2421, or the Corker-Coons bill, recently introduced in the Senate. It will be the first time that the U.S. food aid program will be extensively reformed and will make the program more effective.

*The Feed the Future initiative. This program launched in 2010 and is already enabling smaller farmers in Africa to grow more food. Bread for the World urges Congress to pass legislation authorizing this successful program into law.

*The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). Passed in 2000, this act needs to be reauthorized next year. The next phase of AGOA should aim to increase, as it has, trade opportunities for African farmers, entrepreneurs, and small business owners.

"These three pieces of legislation—making food aid more effective, enabling farmers to grow more food, and opening up more trade opportunities—are the keys to finally ending hunger in Africa and around the globe," said Beckmann. "As we celebrate Africa's progress, I urge its leaders, members of Congress, and the administration to continue to work together to end hunger."

Bread for the World will participate in several official events during the summit, and will host one of President Obama's Young African Leadership Initiative Fellows for an internship from August through September 2014.  

Since 1981, Bread for the World has focused many of its campaigns to ending hunger in Africa. Bread's members have successfully advocated for programs and policies that have contributed to the reduction of hunger in Africa and its impressive economic growth.

Bread for the World (www.bread.org) is a collective Christian voice urging our nation's decision makers to end hunger at home and abroad.

SOURCE Bread for the World