Industrialized nations should fight hunger in Africa through increased aid and efforts to develop agriculture on the continent, according to a report by a coalition of African and U.S. organizations co-chaired by MSU President M. Peter McPherson.
The report, “Now Is The Time- A Plan to Cut Hunger and Poverty in Africa,” was released last week in Rome at the World Food Summit, which is held every five years. McPherson, who has made numerous trips to Africa, spoke at the summit about hunger and poverty on the continent.
Africa is the only continent where experts predict hunger will increase during the next two decades, the report says.
To counter that outlook, the Partnership to Cut Hunger and Poverty in Africa proposed a plan to be implemented by 2007 that would double the level of U.S. investments to Africa and substantially increase domestic resources for development.
“The effort has been to achieve more focus on food production in Africa,” McPherson said.
At the 1996 World Food Summit, developed nations, including the United States, pledged to cut the hunger problem in half by 2015.
“The support for agriculture for food production has dropped off in last few years,” McPherson said.
The partnership was formed in 2000 to keep the promise, after little progress had been made. It includes African presidents and ambassadors, U.S. corporate and agricultural leaders, university presidents, foundation officials and other world leaders and representatives.
MSU Trustee David Porteous said McPherson’s work in Africa helps carry out the mission of the land-grant university.
“One thing about President McPherson is that he’s a doer,” Porteous said.
“Our university didn’t become a great research university just by standing still.”
And Porteous said he’s confident the coalition will achieve its goals in Africa with McPherson’s help, despite the difficulty of the task.
“You look at any sort of initiative he’s been involved with and that’s been one of his trademarks,” Porteous said.
“I’m very proud of President McPherson that he was willing to take on that challenge.”
